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One of the urgent mandates of the proposed Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos (DMWOF) is the establishment of a “global 911” system, which Filipinos in need of help abroad can access “anytime, anywhere,” Senator Joel Villanueva said. “A 24/7 global emergency helpline for distressed Filipinos abroad that would do more than just offer […]
The national government should shoulder the cost of swab tests requirements for all inbound passengers, especially returning Filipinos, to spare them from incurring additional expenses, Senator Kiko Pangilinan said. Pangilinan pointed out that people are already financially burdened by the pandemic and requiring them to shell out hard-earned money for testing is unwarranted. “Private testing […]
A party-list lawmaker said returning Filipinos who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) here or abroad should be exempted from the mandatory quarantine when they arrive in the country. ACT-CIS Partylist Representative Rowena Niña Taduran said the mandatory seven-day quarantine in a government-approved facility would only burden the arriving fully vaccinated Filipinos, who […]
Senator Joel Villanueva has thrown his support for Cebu’s “swab-upon-arrival” policy, saying the “sensible, but science-based” way of screening travelers for coronavirus is “low-cost but highly-effective”. “It is a kind of health checkpoint that spares OFWs of the hassles of quarantine. It saves them time and money, both of which are better spent with and […]
As coordination between agencies servicing millions of Filipinos overseas remains a tall order, the proposed Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos (DMWOF) hopes to optimize government service to Filipinos abroad, according to Senator Joel Villanueva. Villanueva, chair of the Senate labor committee, sponsored to the plenary Senate Bill No. 2234, which seeks to establish […]
The plan of the Hong Kong government to have Filipinos working in the territory vaccinated against COVID-19 must be based on “informed choice” and should never be done under state pressure, Senator Joel Villanueva said. “Kahit naman dito sa atin, wala pong pilitan pagdating sa bakuna. Pero mariin po nating hinihimok ang lahat na magpabakuna. […]
Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) going home to any of the cities and towns in Cebu province will now have to undergo reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test (RT-PCR) testing upon arrival at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. Governor Gwendolyn Garcia announced the testing will be free of charge. “The new policy will no […]
Senator Joel Villanueva called for a thorough review of protocols on deployment of workers, citing data from the Department of Labor and Employment which showed that the most abused OFWs are household service workers, who are mostly, if not all are women. At the resumption of the public hearings into the proposed creation of the […]
The Senate buckled down to work again to hammer out the “nitty-gritty” of creating a Department of Overseas Filipinos (DoFil) that won’t be just a change of agency name but one truly empowered to protect and promote the rights and the welfare of millions of migrant Filipino workers. “This is not just a re-labeling exercise […]
Expressing his gratitude over the successful repatriation of Malik Darimbang, an overseas Filipino worker who was stuck in Saudi Arabia for six years due to a legal battle, Senator Bong Go met with Darimbang and renewed his push for the passage of his priority bill creating the Department of Overseas Filipinos (DOFil). “Masaya ako na […]