UPANG maprotektahan at maisulong na rin ang karapatan ng mga Filipinong nagtatrabaho sa Russia, isinusulong ni Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ang pagkakaroon ng labor agreement sa pagitan ng Filipinas at ng nasabing bansa.
Sa kanyang talumpati sa idinaos na St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, nabanggit ng dating pangulo at ngayo’y lider ng Kamara de Representantes ang pagkakaroon ng aniya’y tinatayang 10,000 Pinoy overseas workers sa Russia.
Subalit ayon kay Arroyo, ang nakalulungkot ay wala pa sa 10 porsiyento ng nasabing bilang o tinatayang nasa 200 lamang nito ang may kaukulang dokumento bilang foreign workers doon.
“The vast majority of Filipino workers in Russia are household workers and nannies but except for around 200, all of them – from 5,000 to 10,000 – are undocumented. They pay as much as US$3,800 for improper or manufactured visas,” sabi pa ng lady speaker.
Bunsod nito, palagi aniyang nakatuon ang pansin ng Russian law enforcers sa mga Filipino, na kapag nahuli nila ay maaaring ipakulong o kaya’y ipa-deport sa Filipinas.
“Crimes against them (undocumented Filipinos) go unreported for fear of deportation. They fall victim to illegal recruiters and human traffickers,” dagdag ni Arroyo.
Kaya naman iginigiit ng outgoing Pampanga lawmaker na magkaroon ng labor agreement sa pagitan ng Filipinas at ng Russia, na makabubuti at magiging kapaki-pakinabang para sa dalawang bansa.
“What is the solution to maximize the potential of our Filipino workers to contribute to Russian development and investment attractiveness? The solution is a labor agreement between our two countries. I understand we have vast experience in this area and have found that the interests of both sending and receiving states are served by the agreement. I understand we have had several discussions on this, and that in May last year the Philippines formally submitted a draft labor agreement to Russia,” pagbibigay-diin pa niya. ROMER R. BUTUYAN
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