Filipino Migrant Organizations in Macau Call to Scrap Affidavit of Support

16 September 2009

Filipino migrant organizations and ministries have strongly called on the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) to scrap what it and the Bureau of Immigration re-imposed requirement of an Affidavit of Support to Filipino nationals who wish to come to Macau from the Philippines. They said that such a requirement is an added financial burden to Filipino nationals working in Macau, is useless for its intended purpose, violates the Constitution, and is a source of corruption.

This affidavit had been shelved previously in 2006 through the efforts of the Filipino community in Macau because of the same reasons above.

Filipino nationals working in Macau have to pay MOP220 to the PCG for said affidavit so that their family and household members and friends are to be allowed by Philippine Immigration officials to board their planes to the territory to be with them.  If they do not have such a requirement their loved ones would be offloaded from their planes.

The intended purpose of the affidavit is supposedly to prevent Filipinos from being victimized by illegal recruiters. But developments in Macau belie this claim. There are still many OFWs who are victims of illegal recruiters in the territory. And illegal recruitment can only be stopped if the Philippine government through the PCG and other relevant agencies has the political will to curve illegal recruitment by apprehending and prosecuting those who engage in this criminal practice. The migrant organizations also stated that they are alarmed at a recent case whereby 2 victims of illegal recruitment were advised by the PCG to withdraw their case against their illegal recruiter in exchange for their air tickets.  If this practice persists no illegal recruiter will ever be prosecuted, they added.

In addition to this, the requirement of an affidavit of support is a breeding ground and opportunity for corruption.  Even a number of those who were victimized by illegal recruiters shelled out a few thousand pesos to Philippine Immigration officials in order to be allowed to board their planes. 

Finally the migrant organizations reminded the PCG that it is enshrined in the Constitution that the freedom to travel of every Filipino is an inalienable right. Clearly the need to show an affidavit of support to Philippine Immigration officials other than valid passports, valid visas where required and round trip tickets when necessary violates this Constitutional right, they added.

The signatories of the petition letter concluded by saying that the affidavit of support is a financial burden to them and would only benefit the two government bodies through added exactions legal or otherwise.

Those who signed the petition letter addressed to the PCG include the following:

Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants – (APMM), El Shaddai DWXI-PPFI Macau Chapter, Filipino Engineers and Architects Society of Macao, Filipino Migrant Ministry – Macau, Legion of Mary (Macau), Macau Cordillera Association (MCA), Migrante Macau, Mission For Migrant Workers (MFMW), Our Lady of Piat Devotees in Macau, Peñafrancia Devotees Association in Macau (PDAM), Sandali Muna Catholic Charismatic Group (Macau), Gualberto “Wabbet” Cabungcal – President, Quezonian Association in Macau (Quesmac).