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Ni ROMEO ALLAN BUTUYAN II
BUKOD sa layuning tugunan ang iba’t-ibang problemang kinakaharap ng Overseas Filipino Worker (OFWs) sa Libya, naging makasaysayang pagbisita ng delegasyon mula sa Kamara matapos katigan ng pamahalaan ng naturang bansa ang pagpapatibay ng diplomatic relations at pagbubukas ng marami pang oportunidad para sa mga manggagawang Pilipino.
Ayon kay House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs Chairman at KABAYAN partylist Rep. Ron Salo, ang pagbisita ng delegasyon ng Kamara sa itinuturing na North African country, sa bahagi ng Maghreb region, ay kauna-unahan matapos ang mahigit dalawang dekada.
“The mission was focused on addressing critical issues faced by Filipino workers, exploring new opportunities for labor cooperation and solicit insights on legislative measures directly affecting OFWs,” paglalarawan ng House panel head sa misyon ng delegasyon.
“Through our discussions, we’ve taken significant steps in addressing the issues of unpaid wages faced by our Filipino nurses, the discrepancies in compensation compared to other nationalities and employee-covered fees,” dagdag ni Salo.
Ayon sa KABAYAN partylist lawmaker, napag-alaman din nila na mas pinipili ng Libya ang mga Pinoy para magtrabaho sa larangan ng healthcare, oil and gas, education, at food manufacturing.
“Filipino professionals, especially nurses and teachers, are highly valued here, not just for their expertise but also for their dedication and ability to uplift the communities they serve,” sabi pa ni Salo.
Kabilang sa Libyan government officials na nakaharap nina Salo sina Labor Attaché Ziad Amer Al-Said bin Ghadeer, Minister for Labor and Rehabilitation Ali Al-Abed, Deputy Minister for Health Samir Abdullah, mga opisyal ng Ministry of Oil & Gas, at ang pinuno ng Department of Support and Development of Medical Services, na si Dr. Ahmed Salem Ahmed.
Sa panig ni Philippine Chargé d’Affaires in Tripoli, Libya Alan Roi Gabriola, inirekomenda nito sa grupo ni Salo na magkaroon ang Pilipinas ng polisiya sa selective deployment ng mga Pinoy worker sa mga nasabing sektor upang mapalawak pa ang employment opportunities ng mga nais makapagtrabaho sa nasabing bansa.
Aniya, malaki ang naging pagbabago sa larangan ng safety and security hindi lamang sa Libya kundi maging sa buong rehiyon, kaya naman nagkaroon ng mas matatag na working environment para sa OFWs.
“Libya is proving to be a land of opportunity for our kababayans, far safer and promising than often portrayed in the media,” aniya pa.
“There’s a palpable sense of hope that we can restore and even increase the Filipino workforce in Libya to its former strength of 30,000-40,000,” positibong pahayag pa ni Salo.
Tiniyak din ng kongresistang kumakatawan sa hanay ng OFWs na pormal na magsusumite kay House Speaker Martin Romualdez ng assessment report ang delegasyon kaugnay ng bunga ng pagbisita at nabuong kasunduan sa Congressional mission.
Bukod kay Romualdez, nakatakda rin ipabatid sa Departments of Migrant Workers (DMW) at Department Foreign Affairs (DFA) ang bunga ng congressional mission para makatulong sa evaluation ng umiiral na deployment ban.
“This mission not only reaffirms our commitment to the well-being of our OFWs but also strengthens the ties between the Philippines and Libya, paving the way for a future of mutual respect and beneficial collaboration,” pahabol ni Salo.
