Migrant Focus Magazine: Issue #2

Migrant's Focus Magazine: Issue #2

Profile #4:

Talks With Connie Bragas-Regalado

When did you arrive in Hong Kong to work as domestic helper?

I arrived in Hong Kong last March 7, 1991.

Is this your first time working abroad?

This is the second. The first one was in Singapore. I worked there for two years from 1983 to 1985.

What do you do in the Philippines?

I worked as a senior social worker with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-South Cotabato for six years. Then in 1986-1991, I was involved in women's work particularly peasant women and women workers at Dole Philippines, a pineapple plantation and canning factory.

What made you decide to leave your job?

Like any OFW, the reason why I left my hometown to work overseas is financial. My job cannot support the growing needs of my children and parents, who are also dependent for my support.

Going back to your work involving workers, how do you assess their situation?

Like any other workplaces, workers at Dole Philippines are very much exploited. Aside from being paid low wages, they are made to work long hours, under poor working conditions. Women are usually subjected to sexual harassment and rape. By not providing them with protection and services, Dole Philippines would rake in more profits - making workers as mere commodities like the pineapples they sell.

What about the peasant sector? Do you also say that they are exploited?

Just like the workers, peasants are also exploited. When I say peasants, they are those who have no lands, tenants, small farmers and farm workers. Because they don't have resources, most of the time they are victims of usurers who are rich landowners, landlords and traders. Their situation aggravates now that the Philippine government intensifies its land conversion program - from agricultural land use to commercial and industrial land use.

Are you saying now that the main reason why most Filipinos leave the country to work abroad is the lack of opportunities to find gainful employment and because of poverty?

Yes, majority of OFWs comes from the peasant and worker sector. Quite a number are professionals with former jobs but cannot cope with rising cost of living in the Philippines.

How did you get involved with migrants' work?

When I first came to Hong Kong, my first Sunday's off was at the Church of All Nations in Repulse Bay. An old friend who was already involved with the Filipino Fellowship of the said church fetched me. It all started with Bible Studies and Choir service because those were the only activities they had. I volunteered to be part of the Church Board of Social Ministry. Then the group decided to request a paralegal training, which was conducted by the Mission for Filipino Migrant Workers. Then I learned about the Mission and UNIFIL...their work.

When did you get involved with UNIFIL-HK?

In 1994...the decision to be with UNIFIL is rooted out with my involvement in working with the poor peasants and workers and even working with the middle forces, the professionals, business people and NGO workers. I'm aware of the fact that working with people entails a deeper commitment coupled with responsibilities.

I understand, UNIFIL-HK was established in 12 May 1985. Can you tell me what were the moving factors behind its establishment?

The United Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL-HK) was established after 10 organizations calling themselves United Filipinos Against Forced Remittance (UNFARE) succeeded in its campaign against Executive Order No. 857. EO 857 made it mandatory for all land-based workers to remit 50 per cent of their monthly salary and 70 per cent for all sea-based workers through formal banking channels. Failure would mean, no employment contracts, non-renewal of passports, and all other consular services granted by the Philippine government. Therefore, the EO curtails OFWs' rights to work and of abode.

In 1983 to 1985, I was in Singapore. I remembered applying for a change of my passport from tourist to contract worker. The Philippine Embassy required me to submit receipts of my remittances through the Philippine National Bank (PNB) before its processing. That time, I was thinking it was just a mere requirement for availing consular services.

Why did the late President Marcos impose EO 857?

It was in this period that the Philippine economy was in deep crisis. Foreign debt pegged at US$26B. The Philippine government saw that remittances of OFWs are the biggest source of revenues that would prop up the ailing economy. To prove this, the government has a yearly earning from USD$ 2B during Marcos to USD$8 to date from foreign exchange remittances of OFWs. The government recognizes that remittances of OFW ranks as second biggest dollar earner. This is part of the Philippine government's Labor Export Program.

Aside from earnings derived from OFWs' remittances, what are other government's earnings from exporting Filipino labor?

First, there is this Welfare Fund Contribution. Any OFW applying abroad has to contribute USD25 as membership. This gives an OFW a total coverage of welfare services from the government. A daily income of US $50,000 (USD$25 x 2,000 average daily deployment of OFWs) is a substantial income that goes to government coffers. In fact, the government created the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to systematize the collection of this Welfare Fund Contribution.

Then in 1996, Memorandum of Instruction No. 8, per contract collection of US$25 for all land-based workers including undocumented workers, who have gainful employment, was imposed. In Hong Kong, it was immediately opposed which prompted OWWA not to implement it, although in later years, they offer it at the counter at the Philippine Consulate General.

Last 21 May 2000, OWWA Resolution no. 99-016, was passed by the Board making it mandatory for an OFW to pay US$25 every year. This was supposed to be implemented last July 1st but again, this was exposed and opposed by UNIFIL-HK, ATIS and CORALL. It gained wider support from migrant workers themselves which prompted the government to defer its implementation by January 1, 2001.

As you mentioned earlier in this interview, the US $25 welfare fund contribution entitles an OFW to a full coverage of welfare services. What made you say that this is government tax or an additional fee?

We did study the OWWA budget allocation for 2000, it appeared that the budget allocation for direct welfare services of OFWs only shares 11 per cent. Hong Kong, gets US$18,200 for almost 160,000 domestic helpers. The big slice of the pie is allocated to the service cost delivery such as salaries and wages of government officials, which is the responsibility of the government.

There is this Executive Order no. 197 which allows all government agencies to increase service fees by a minimum of 20 per cent. How are OFWs affected with this?

This is an additional fee and additional burden. In Hong Kong, the Philippine Consulate General implemented the increase in all notarials and authentication fees by 25 per cent, from HK$170 to HK$212.50, last 1 August 2000 unannounced.

Are you suggesting that the Philippine government is not at all concerned on the plight of OFWs but merely using Filipino labor migration for revenue generation?

Yes. In fact, the Philippine government is the biggest recruitment agency through the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). This agency is responsible for looking for potential markets in different parts of the world. An OFW pays US$100 for processing fee alone. Multiply this with 2,000 average daily departing OFWs, the government earns US$200,000 per day.

On top of the above collections, in 1992, POEA implemented Mandatory Payment of Insurance and Repatriation Bond (MIRB) known as Memo circulars 52 and 56, requiring workers to pay P204.20 per annum for the insurance and P350.00 for the repatriation bond. These collections circumvent the provisions of POEA Rules and Regulates on insurance and repatriation coverage for OFWs. According to Book 2, Rule 8 Section 1: "All overseas land based workers shall be provided both life and personal accident insurance...This mandatory life and accident insurance shall be provided by the employer without any cost to the worker." With regards to repatriation bond, Rule 1 Section 5 provides: " The repatriation of the workers and the transport of his belonging shall be the primary responsibility of the agency which recruited and deployed the worker overseas. All costs attendant to repatriation shall be borne by the agency concerned and/or its principal..."

These memoranda were only waived last July 1996 and September 1996 respectively after 5 years of sustained campaign and education work of UNIFIL-HK.

UNIFIL-HK has gained respect and integrity within the Filipino community and within Hong Kong community, where do you attribute all these?

UNIFIL-HK works with principles and commitment of its members. It has been consistent in its struggle for the rights and welfare of OFWs. OFWs in Hong Kong has, in one way or another, been part of this struggle, from petition signing, participating in rallies, fora, sharing their talents, and just simple sharing of information to other OFWs. UNIFIL's successes in all its struggles motivated us more to continue.

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