CALOOCAN CITY, (PIA) – After receiving complaints from around 40 seasonal farm workers in Korea, who were deployed under the arrangements made between local government units (LGUs) of South Korea and the Philippines, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) sought a joint circular with the Department of the Interior & Local Government (DILG) to ensure better protection of their rights and welfare.

“We are not constraining the respective LGUs to talk to their counterparts in Korea. Pero ang gusto lang nating mangyari ay ma-process sila sa DMW for better protection of their rights and welfare onsite,” DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo J. Cacdac said.

Among the reported issues of the seasonal workers are labor-related complaints, including their working conditions onsite, and non-payment of salaries. 

Cacdac said that the DMW is now in talks with the DILG led by Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr. to come up with a joint circular on the deployment of seasonal workers to Korea to guarantee better protection of OFWs, as well as prevent any possible exploitation and abuses of Filipino migrant workers.

“It would really help if ma-document sila ng DMW para mas ma-monitor natin ang kanilang sitwasyon. And just as important, mas matataguyod natin yung kontrata nila that could be processed by the DMW, certified and verified by our Migrant Workers Office at post. Mas may greater responsibility yung mga government functionaries whether it’s the local government or the national government, such as the DMW and the DILG. Mas mababantayan ang mga OFWs,” said Cacdac.

The DMW eyes the issuance of the joint-circular by the end of the year following the series of meetings conducted by the inter-agency technical working group on the deployment of Filipino seasonal workers to Korea. (dmw/pia-ncr)