FRIDAY |JUNE 23, 2006 | PHILIPPINES

Aquino calls on liberals to give migrants better deal

FORMER President Corazon Aquino yesterday called on liberals from all over the world to ensure better treatment for global migrants, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who seek employment in their countries.

"It is in the economic interest of destination countries if they open their doors to migrant labor and accord fair and good treatment to migrant workers," Aquino said.

Aquino was keynote speaker at the start of the four-day world conference of all liberal parties in Manila.

In town for the conference are liberal politicians from Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. The Philippines’ Liberal Party (LP) is this year’s host with Senate President Franklin Drilon as conference chairman.

Aquino stressed governments around the world should start realizing the crucial role played by labor migrants in the development of their country. "In a world that is globalizing fast, nations need to recognize that labor migration can be a force for convergence and stability," she said.

"I trust that the liberal values of fairness, respect for basic rights, freedom and equality will serve as your compass in crafting policies on labor migration in your own countries," she added.

She also said host governments should ensure legal protection to global migrants victimized by scrupulous recruitment and smuggling syndicates.

"First and foremost, governments must look into the recruitment and deployment process to avoid driving migrant workers into the hands of crime syndicates and cruel employers," she said.

Aquino noted that there are currently 191 million people working outside their country of birth who send home a total of $240 billion in 2005. Of this amount, she said some $167 billion are remitted home to the Philippines by anywhere from seven to eight million sea- and land-based OFWs.

She said foreign governments which employ OFWs should provide "social safety net programs" which are "accessible and available to migrants in both their country of origin and destination."

Aquino noted that the Philippine government provides a comprehensive package of incentives such as training on the social and working conditions in foreign lands, special life insurance and pension plans, medical insurance and tuition assistance, eligibility for pre-departure and emergency loans.

"Moreover, we encourage our workers to return through a comprehensive Balikbayan program which exempts them from a wide range of taxes," she said. – Dennis Gadil