Deregulation is anti OFW.

(From Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Byline: Ma. Ceres P. Doyo

FIERY Labor Day greetings (as in maapoy na pagbati) to all workers, especially my fellow unyonistas at the Inquirer. Mabuhay tayong lahat!

First, some heartwarming stuff: an e-mailed letter I received a few days ago from an overseas Filipino worker, a factory worker in Taiwan. I am not printing the letter sender's name because I have not asked permission. Who said OFWs are only looking after their own families? Read this.

"Dear Ma'am: Peace! I wonder if you would take time to reply to a lowly migrant worker. Nonetheless, I took courage to write to you because I desperately need help. I am a factory worker here in Taiwan and I am hoping to be used by God to establish an organization that will raise funds that we can use to help people who are poorer than us. (Underscoring mine.) We want to start but we need someone to help us put into use whatever little we can come up with every month. Based on my reading of your articles, I came to the conclusion that you are the one that can help us.

"I am inarticulate, so if you're interested, may I ask you to give me your contact numbers so we can talk? Or if you want, I will give you my cellular phone number next time I write. I do hope to hear from you soon. I intend to gather the members of the core group this weekend and I am hoping to report the outcome of this inquiry to them. God bless you. Respectfully yours..."

Now, the heavier stuff. OFWs and NGOs working for the OFWs' welfare are lobbying for the repeal of Sections 29 and 30 of RA 8042 (Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995). These two sections seek the deregulation of the labor export industry and the phaseout of the regulatory functions of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). In other words, OFWs should eventually be left on their own to fend for themselves, and their employment and welfare would be a matter between them and their employers. Ha? But why when we are trying to crawl out of the oppressed-OFW mind-set and asserting ourselves as world-class, top-of-the-heap global workers?