Pangasinan OFWs want contracts translated, and more
PANGASINAN’S overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are joining their counterparts in other provinces in manifesting support for a proposed bill filed in the House of Representatives requiring recruitment and employment agencies, labor providers and direct-hire employers to translate and serve employment contracts in Filipino or in any of the major regional languages or dialects spoken by the OFWs.
This was aired by former and current OFWs to The PUNCH when sought for their reactions to the House Bill 4836, authored by Rep. Juan Revilla (Party-list, OFW Family) which seeks to mandate the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to provide a parallel translation in Filipino or in any of the major Philippine Regional of Indigenous Languages, of the employment contracts that the OFWs will sign before their deployment abroad.
The bill also wants the translation of the employment contract to “include the condition of his employment, the compensation and benefits, period of employment, working hours, health and safety issues, among others.”
In a recent forum, Kimber Dave De Vera of Dagupan and a civil engineer in Singapore said “That will be helpful to domestic helpers (DH) or laborers so they will fully understand all the terms of their contracts.”
Emma Ruth Fernandez, a DH in Hong Kong: “Even better if these are in Tagalog or Pangasinan,” but added that an OFW should also be proficient in the English language since some foreign employers can only speak either their own language or English.
Angel Perrion, a nurse in Abu Dhabi added: “That way nobody is misled and everyone knows what type of work one is getting into and where they are expected to work.”
However, in addition to translated contracts, the OFWs also ask for a law that will ensure their protection against maltreatment and violation of contracts by their foreign employers.
“There are employers who abuse and exploit DH by making her do chores in other households, making the DH work for two instead of one with no improvement in her salary.”, said Merissa Cordero, a former DH in Hong Kong who experienced unjust treatment from her employers.
Janet Austria, another DH in Hong Kong expressed the same “There should also be a law that will impose penalties and punishment on foreign employers who maltreat OFWs, particularly DHs, hindi yong didismayahin ka pa sa Philippine Consulate kung may ikokonsulta ka kanila”.
“Above all, government must monitor recruitment agencies that exploit OFW. Pero higit sa lahat mas kailangang bantayan ang mga agencies sa Pinas na nanda daya sa mga OFWs, from demanding excessive placement fees to failure to guarantee right wages, etc.,” was the lament of Ron Rico Felonia, a purchaser in Riyadh KSA.
Lisa Flores, a DH in Hong Kong who saw different types of maltreatment experienced by her fellow OFWs, said “It’s not clear what rights we can assert pagdating na sa magiging amo namin.” She cited instances when an OFW ends up working for two households, or not being provided decent meals, etc. “Lahat nakasulat mga karapatan namin kaso English nga kaya yong iba hindi naiintindihan”.
De Vera added that agencies should be made responsible for employers for whom they hire OFWs.
But, Rosette Felonia, another former DH in Hong Kong felt differently about the need for translation of contracts: “A translated version is not important kasi bakit pa tinawag na bansang matalino ang Pinas kung simpleng English isasalin?”
Employment contracts are usually written in English and a translation is served by in the language of the host country. (Hilda Austria)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
