Keeping them home

THE civil strife in Libya, a north-African country far away from the Philippines, has struck very close to home, not just because of its impact on global oil prices but more because of the tens of thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are there and needing help in coming home safe.

Unrests in some Middle Eastern countries, triggered likewise such as in Libya by the recent successful ouster of the leaders in neighboring Tunisia and Egypt brought on by civilian protests, have also put at risk our many OFWs, both the legal and undocumented ones, in that part of the world.

For years now, the seemingly unstoppable hijacking of ships by Somali pirates have more often than not involved Filipino seamen falling as hostages, usually held in captivity for months on end.

No exact numbers have been published but definitely there are many Pangasinenses among those who have come into harm’s way. One example is 56-year old Oscar Garcia who was one of those quoted in the Philippine Daily Inquirer saying upon his arrival in Manila that he was “just glad to be home and looking forward to returning to his family in Lingayen” after fleeing the danger area and a five-day ordeal travelling from Libya to the Philippines.

Getting caught in the middle of a conflict in a foreign land, or encountering troubles and tragedies such as the fire that claimed the lives of three Pangasinenses last year in  Dubai, makes for a double whammy for our OFWs, particularly those who are there illegally and are victims of human trafficking.

The diaspora of Filipino workers is the result of a lack of opportunities here and those who fall prey to trafficking could very well be in downright desperation to find a means of living, ignoring all threats and hazards — because what is even worse is returning with no certainty of a reasonable job in their own country.

And so notwithstanding all the risks, many Filipinos will continue to want to leave home, by legal or illegal channels.

The government should not just be helping in the repatriation of our OFWs in trouble, it should be pursuing programs that will help stop them from leaving home in the first place.

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