Refleksi: Apakah kondisi TKWI lebih baik??
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=65294&d=13&m=6&y=2005&pix=world.jpg&category=World Monday, 13, June, 2005 (06, Jumada al-Ula, 1426) 8 of 12 Filipino Maids Abroad Are Abused: Former Diplomat Gloria Esguerra Melencio, Arab News Gloria Esguerra Melencio Arab News MANILA, 13 June 2005 - Some eight Filipino domestic helpers out of 12 are being raped everyday around the world, former Ambassador Roy V. Se?eres told Arab News over the weekend. Out of these eight, only three domestic helpers formally complain. The rest remain silent for fear of deportation and out of shame. This is still a conservative estimate, says Se?eres, a diplomat of 15 years and former ambassador to United Arab Emirates for four years. His pronouncement came on the heels of the opposition call for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to step down frompower. "Our compatriots are helpless in foreign countries," he pinpointed. The Philippine embassies stationed in respective countries could not do anything to stop the abuse of Filipina women. "All we could just do is attend to their needs once they are abused and help them in any way we can," he revealed. Se?eres, who chairs the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) until his formal resignation takes effect on June 30, said this has been happening "because we continue to feed them." He was referring to the continuous "deployment" of Filipino domestic helpers abroad as foreign countries increasingly demand for imported domestic services that their local nationals would not do for them. He did not cite any country in particular whe Filipino domestic helpers are rampantly abused. He said it happens around the world. Domestic helpers are the most abused in the international labor given the work situation they are in. Once they enter the homes of their employers, the Philippine government could no longer protect them. They are often maltreated, given the lowest salaries and abused sexually by male employers who often have the protection of their own laws, he said. Se?eres said the country needs political will to stop exporting its labor force. "Why should young mothers work as domestic helpers, leaving behind their young children with a heavy heart?" he asked. He traced the problem to high unemployment rate in the country, coupled with poverty that force many to look for the proverbial greener pastures elsewhere. He said homesickness is the most visible problem of domestic helpers and other Filipino migrant workers, known in short as OFWs. "Even I as a diplomat had been crying over my family's separation from me. What more of these young mothers?" he said. "The government puts in its political platform the provision of jobs to millions of unemployed Filipinos but it failed miserably of its promise due to massive graft and corruption," he said. He claimed that the government of President Arroyo had been pocketing 30 percent or P270 billion of the country's total foreign debts and that this amount is being siphoned out of the country for some big people's own interest. He also said the Arroyo administration has reneged on its responsibility to uplift the economic conditions of the country. "President Arroyo has no right to remain in Malaca?ang," Se?eres said. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> What would our lives be like without music, dance, and theater? Donate or volunteer in the arts today at Network for Good! http://us.click.yahoo.com/pkgkPB/SOnJAA/Zx0JAA/uTGrlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Post message: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
