The Department of Migrant Workers has logged around 150 complaints from Filipino seasonal workers in South Korea.
The seasonal workers’ program was rolled out back in 2022 through agreements signed by local governments.
DMW records show that there were 3,353 Filipino seasonal workers there in 2023. The program allows short-term employment mostly in agricultural work to augment the lack of manpower in South Korea.
“Over the period of time since the deployments began in 2022, we have received a number of complaints from the workers. Around 150 or so are the registered complaints by our migrant workers office in Seoul,” said Cacdac in a GMA News report.
Cacdac said complaints vary from non-payment of correct wages to the involvement of middlemen.
There were also reported cases of five physical abuse, five medical cases, and four natural deaths of Filipinos in South Korea in the last two years.
The DMW has imposed a moratorium on the deployment of seasonal workers there as the agency seeks to review the guidelines in the deployment of seasonal workers.
“These guidelines are forthcoming. We’re slated to meet with the Ministry of Justice soon, and we’re hoping na at the very latest to have these guidelines issued by next week,” he said.
