SHAPING THE WORLD: THE GLOBAL FILIPINO: Speech by the Secretary (Minister of Foreign Affairs), Philippines

SHAPING THE WORLD: THE GLOBAL FILIPINO

REMARKS BY
THE HONORABLE ALBERTO G. ROMULO
SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,

ON FILIPINO MIGRANT WORKERS DAY,
CARLOS P. GARCIA CONFERENCE HALL, DFA, 07 JUNE 2005

Today we honor the hard work, the sacrifices and the inspiring story of our overseas workers. Though far from home, their dedication to their families, their love for their country and their culture and their concern for the future of our nation are values that form indelible links between them and those they left behind.

Our overseas workers have changed the face of the earth. They build stunning structures and magnificent freeways. They bring forth the richness of the earth and the bounties of the seas. They transport the goods that fuel the commerce of our globalized world.

Our overseas workers have also helped to chart the course of technology. They man the portals of the information highways. They write the code and design the chips that move data with the speed of thought. They help to bring knowledge to the far reaches of the globe.

Our overseas workers have bettered the lives of people the world over. Our caregivers tender to the needs of the old and infirm. Our health workers heal the sick, research their illnesses and find the cures.

Our overseas workers care for the children and look after the homes of the people of the world.

Today, one out of every ten Filipinos is overseas, with most being migrant workers.

One out of every two Filipinos is dependent in some way on the earning of a migrant worker relative or kin.

And nearly every Filipino has been touched or affected by the fact that the Philippines is a global nation.

Overseas employment has become a global phenomenon. It is expected to continue because the modern world needs transnational movements to support the increasingly globalizing world economy. For there will always be labor gaps in some countries that are easier to fill with foreigners than with nationals. The phenomenon of overseas employment will continue as long as there are people who perceive that there are greater opportunities abroad and who will want to benefit from them.

The Department of Foreign Affairs continues to be responsive to the needs of our millions of Overseas Filipino Workers. Guided by the Philippine Constitution which mandates the State to provide full protection to labor, both local and overseas, the promotion of the welfare of our overseas workers and the protection of their rights, make up one of the three pillars of Philippine foreign policy, together with national security and economic development. Government has now gone beyond that basic mandate and has launched programs towards our overseas workers’ mobilization as partners of our country’s national development.

Republic Act 8042, which was approved ten years ago, has become the Bible of the DFA’s overseas workers assistance program. It provides that the dignity of citizens shall at all times be upheld whether in the country or overseas. R.A. 8042 ushered in a new era in Philippine foreign policy when it mandated that OFWs shall be provided with timely social, economic and legal services.

Under this landmark legislation, consular assistance and assistance to nationals overseas have been accorded greater significance and prominence and are subject to a more coordinated, cohesive and – more importantly - better-funded approach with the creation of the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs or OUMWA in the DFA, which Undersecretary Chito Brillantes proudly chairs.

In very close coordination with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration or POEA headed by Rosalinda D. Baldoz in seeing to the deployment of only legitimate workers, and working hand-in-hand with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration or OWWA in providing assistance to land-based workers and seafarers, the Department has been at the forefront of our country’s overseas welfare and protection program together with DOLE, POEA and OWWA.

Working with the Commission on Elections, we are determined to ensure that our overseas Filipinos are able to exercise their right to choose their leaders. The document we signed and the materials we received today will further strengthen these efforts. I thank the COMELEC and the POEA for their continuing cooperation.

We are also committed to working with the law enforcement agencies of the government to stamp out illegal recruitment. We have to protect our workers from those who seek to exploit them. A large number of cases of our overseas workers who end up in distress are victims of illegal recruitment.

I am pleased to accept from Captain Jaylo the first annual report of the Task Force on Illegal Recruitment and commend him and the members of his team for their work.

Our overseas workers deserve the care and attention of our entire government. The Department deeply appreciates the cooperation and professionalism of our brother agencies, like the COMELEC, the POEA and the Task Force on Illegal Recruitment. This support is indispensable in carrying out our work.

I would like to reiterate the commitment of the men and women of the Department of Foreign Affairs to the cause of overseas Filipino workers. We will continue to work for your safety and welfare, protect your rights and pursue your interests.
Thank you for celebrating with us in a simple manner Migrant Workers Day. END