Action from Manila

File charges vs recruiter of drivers--Arroyo
By Christian V. Esguerra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:32:00 04/15/2009
MANILA, Philippines—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the filing of charges against the agency that recruited 137 Filipino bus drivers now stranded and rummaging for scraps in the UAE.
Arroyo also wanted haled to court government officials who would be found to have “confabulated” with CYM International Services and Placement Agency Inc., according to Press Secretary Cerge Remonde.

“The President has ordered (Labor) Secretary (Marianito) Roque to attend to them,” he told reporters.

Arroyo also instructed Roque to find new jobs for the stranded workers in Dubai or “elsewhere in the Middle East.” Just last Tuesday, she returned from Dubai where she claimed there were at least 200,000 jobs available for Filipino workers.

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if this will happen... maybe for the first time, i can think that our government is still there for their people.
this is not the only case of illegal recruitment... didnt we learn our lessons?

i've seen them. these 137 surviving Filipinos who were victims, not just of illegal recruitment but also victims of poverty and corruption from our country.

POEA has been issuing public informations to people that they should check first the agency whether they are listed on them or not... THEY DID IT.
They even have OEC from OWWA. They attended the PDOS. They were issued "employment visa" which they thought are legal - and passed the Immigration in the very strict - NAIA.

How can these people think that what they have were illegal?

I believe this is not just an issue with the CYM or Al Tomooh (Dubai agency tie-up)... there is a bigger picture that is yet to unveil...

As GMA will file charges to the CYM, and the POEA was ordered to 'clean' their list... will this be enough? how come this people passed the Immigration with tampered visa?

and now, there are 200,000 jobs for Filipinos announced... people will surely go to POEA for this. will there be another batch of "drivers cum scavengers" that will roam in the dump sites of other Emirates?
i've known some people from Dubai who lost their jobs and needed to go home... how come these experienced OFWs did not found these 200,000 jobs available for them?

the Filipino's bayanihan was witnessed for the last 10 days...
the donations and support showed by the OFW were overwhelming.
and now the door is open for 200,000 new jobs... surely, there are a lot of Filipinos who will be rushing to sell their lands...
i hope that the government will first think and check if its true or NOT!!!
because i'm wondering if we can still accomodate that much!!!