Note:

The campaign against OWWA Resolution 99-016 and Executive Order 197 is gaining grounds even among politicians. Already 7 congressmen and 2 senators expressed support to our demands. They are Reps. Mamintal Adiong, Cresente Paez, Bobby Tanada, Joker Arroyo, Ernesto Herrera, Ralph Recto, Julio Ledesma IV and Sens. Blas Ople and Franklin Drilon.

For your info, this press release is to counter Mr. Gardiner's claim that came out in a news article of the Manila Times Internet Edition.

23 September 2000

Reference:

Eman C. Villanueva
Secretary-General

OWWA Chief Gardiner is a Liar

A cornered dog bites.

OWWA Administrator Eli Gardiner would want to defend the scams of his office by accusing legitimate protesters of malice and disinformation. His offensive remarks in major dailies betray his desperate attempt to discredit the overseas Filipinos who know of his agency's ill intentions.

Mr. Gardiner is lying to the teeth when he says that OWWA is NOT set to impose an increase in collection of OWWA membership fees. Yet in the same pronouncement, he admits that there is a proposal presented to the OWWA Board but was allegedly shelved pending "consultations" with OFWs.

The malice and disinformation actually emanates from the OWWA and other government agencies. Let us cite some:

Mr. Gardiner is doing a big disservice to OFWs whom he has vowed to protect. In fact, he only wants to save his skin because there is a growing number of senators and congressmen who have expressed support for our campaign to scrap this new OWWA Resolution.

As we welcome the support of legislators for these legitimate demands, we would also ask them not to be misled by the OWWA's "decision to defer" the implementation of the increase in fees. To defer is only to delay and not to drop the unjust policy altogether. We encourage all supportive legislators and other public officials to continue to call for the scrapping of OWWA Resolution No. 99-016 and to stop further increase of any fees for OFWs. #

(Manila Times news article)

OWWA debunks reports on hiked fees

Manila Times Internet Edition

23 Sept. 2000

OVERSEAS Workers Welfare Administration chief Eli Gardiner yesterday debunked reports that OWWA had increased the membership fees for overseas workers.

Gardiner reacted to reports originating from Hong Kong that the OWWA was imposing a yearly membership fee of $25 for every OFW, ostensibly for use in the government military operations in Mindanao.

The alleged increase in OWWA membership fees was the main gripe of a small group of OFWs who staged in lightning rally in front of the Philippine consulate in Hong Kong earlier this week. Gardiner said his office is still trying to determine how the rumored membership fee increase started to circulate in Hong Kong.

He said it was inconceivable to use OFW membership contributions to fund military operations in Mindanao since the OWWA is an attached agency of the Department of Labor and Employment while the Mindanao military operation is a responsibility of the Department of National Defense.

Malicious

He called the protest "malicious" and cautioned OFWs from quickly giving credence to such wild accusations.

Gardiner wondered why the rumor spread out only in Hong Kong, since a similar report was dismissed by OWWA and OFWs in other areas, especially in the Middle East.

Gardiner said that a proposal was, indeed, presented to the OWWA board to increase membership dues to subsidize OWWA’s current benefits for OFWs. He said the proposal was shelved pending consultations with OFWs in countries with major OFW deployment.

This developed as Senate President Protempore Blas Ople urged the government to declare a three-year moratorium on the imposition of any increase in the fees collected from OFWs.

"The OFWs should not be burdened with more fees under the Estrada administration," said Ople.

Ople said if there would be an increase, it would be paid by foreign principals employing OFWs.

He also defended the Filipino workers in Hong Kong who opposed the proposal to hike membership dues.#