In an aim to prevent abuse among domestic workers, Sen. Raffy Tulfo recommended to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and relevant agencies a stricter screening of foreign employers.
According to Tulfo, this move will help in curbing the number of “abuses and maltreatment of OFWs.”
According to Tulfo, OFWs are required to undergo thorough screening before they can be deployed abroad, as well as to submit several requirements and clearances.
Employers from foreign countries do not submit any records, such as police reports or court records.
“I hope we can have a proper screening process. We should be strict when it comes to requirements. We should be also like that to foreign employers to make sure that OFWs are safe abroad,” Sen. Tulfo said.
The suggestion was firmly directed to DMW Secretary Susan Ople, who also attended the Senate Committee meeting.
OFWs have died at the hands of abusive employers due to a lack of a proper screening process, according to Tulfo.
Meanwhile, Ople did acknowledge the concerns raised by Tulfo and said that his chairmanship will greatly help reform several agendas.
Ople acknowledged the concerns and said that Tulfo’s chairmanship of the Committee on Migrant Workers could help with their system reform agenda.
Furthermore, Tulfo mentioned about the establishment of a monitoring system to be guided by the Migrant Workers Office situated in different countries. This will help in preventing the illegal “selling” of migrant workers.
Once the OFW has been deployed abroad, there should be a monitoring system in place,” Tulfo said.
“It is the Committee’s duty to recommend and initiate the execution of bilateral agreements with other countries where OFWs are deployed and where such agreements are still lacking, and to review previous or existing agreements which may no longer be compliant with pertinent international labor standards.”
