OWWA

I am officially an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) in Singapore effective 30th January 2008. If not for the panic caused by a memorandum that was as vague, confusing and stupid as can be.

I received an e-mail from my friend last 25th January regarding a memorandum that will be out on the 1st of February. This memorandum will require all foreign companies directly hiring Filipino workers to pay repatriation bonds, insurances and some other things to comply with just because they are hiring Filipino workers (I do remember reading 3 months salary and $5,000 US). The reason being... this will be put in place to prevent OFWs from being taken advantaged of. If the company cannot pay these, the OFW should go to an agency who will comply with the requirements in bulk -thus, under a different scheme.

The thing is, if I were an employer considering two equally competent worker: one from the Philippines and one from India, who would I choose? Or even if we may have more competencies... the initial risk of taking us in would have doubled that may cause employers to take a second, a third and a fourth look into our qualifications vis-a-vis the initial and subsequent costs of employing us.

Another thing that was not clearly stated in the memo was if current OFWs will be covered by the memo. If not now, in the occassion that they will change job in the future.

I would like to believe (although it may sometimes be hard to believe) that they do want to protect us...but is this the only way? This will surely make the road to greener pastures narrower.

Anyway, this memo is now held in abeyance. I can't believe something like this could be taken so lightly. "Ooopss...di pala."