President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to increase financial assistance for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) could bolster the government’s legal support to migrant workers.
According to ACTS-OFW partylist Rep. John Bertiz III, the increase of OFW fund from P400 million (Dh29 million) to P1 billion (Dh72 million) could be used to address the needs of overseas Filipinos who are languishing in prison or on death row.
The increase may support his proposal to establish 24/7 legal attaches in host countries to respond to the legal needs of OFWs.
“We are hoping that with the establishment of legal assistance in host countries, we will be better prepared unlike in the past where the only time our government acted was when the execution date was near,” Bertiz said in a forum.
The fund may also allow the government to hire lawyers to defend OFWs, citing the case of Jakia Pawa, an OFW who maintained her innocence until she was executed last January.
Bertiz added the increase has long been requested, “but unfortunately it was vetoed by the past administration”.
Duterte announced the increase in OFW fund in his second State of the Nation Address, aiming “to ensure that [OFWs’] rights are protected”.
“They are our heroes. They and their families have sacrificed much for the country. We all know how much of the economy comes from their remittances,” Duterte said.
OFW remittances rose to US$2.31 billion in May 2017, 5.5 percent higher than the $2.08 billion in the previous month.
