Senator Raffy Tulfo recently visited Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) to personally check on the condition and see the situation of Overseas Filipino Workers in said city which is one of the most popular destinations of OFWs in Asia.
Tulfo, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, was joined by Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Usec. Hans Cacdac, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Arnel Ignacio, Ambassador Ferdinand Ver, and Philippine Consul General Renator Duenas Jr. in his four-day visit in Dubai recently.
The legislator kicked off his Dubai visit by celebrating Migrant Workers’ Day with several Filipinos there, including three Filipino OFW-turned businessowners namely Maria Emma Lizano, Olive Samson, and Melinda Nulla. He is proud that they now own Paluto, a famous Filipino restaurant in Dubai’s Waterfront.
Tulfo promised to continue fighting for and pushing for the swift passage into law of the Magna Carta of Seafarers Bill which is now on its second reading at the Senate.
On the same day, the lawmaker was also invited as guest of honor in the basketball competition of seafarers’ league, wherein he promised them to continue fighting for and pushing for the swift passage into law of the Magna Carta of Seafarers Bill which is now on its second reading at the Senate.
The senator then visited Migrant Workers Repatriation Center in Al Qusais 3, Dubai the following day where he was joined by Cacdac, Ignacio, Consul General Renato Dueñas and Labor Attache John Rio Bautista, among others.
In the said visit, he inspected the center’s facilities and noticed that there are some things that could be improved and added in the shelter, including the construction of a dressing room and locker for OFWs and removal of a CCTV installed in the isolation room to ensure their privacy.
Tulfo likewise proposed for an additional cooling fan in the shelter’s dining area which tends to get very hot especially when migrant workers eat together, as well as one more toilet and shower areas to avoid long bathroom lines because the shelter only has two small bathrooms to date.
He also pointed out the need for a washing machine and dryer in the shelter so migrant workers will not have difficulty washing and drying their clothes.
“Ang mga kababayan natin na napunta sa shelter ay nakaranas ng matinding krisis tulad ng pagmamalupit at pananakit kaya nararapat lamang na pagdating sa shelter, sila ay maalagaan ng maayos at mabigyan ng komportableng pansamantalang tahanan,” Tulfo said.
Tulfo praised OWWA, DMW, and DFA for their initiatives and efforts to improve the service to nearly one million Filipinos in Dubai.
Ultimately, he praised OWWA, DMW, and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for their initiatives and efforts to improve the service to nearly one million Filipinos in Dubai and promised to fight for their budget increase in the next budget hearing.
On his last day in Dubai, Tulfo attended as guest of honor in Pre-Independence Day celebration and OFW Cultural Night held at the Migrant Worker’s Office which showcased the talents of the OFWs in the UAE and commemorated the Filipino culture through dancing, singing, food and arts.
