Despite the overseas Filipino workers' (OFWs) remittacnes that keep on propping up the Philippine economy, the 10 million Filipino migrant workers remain “marginalized, unprotected and neglected,” a group of OFWs said. The Middle East branch of Migrante International said that the Philippine foreign missions - embassies, consulates and other agencies, who are supposed to serve the OFWs, have been treating the OFWs “condescendingly and inhumanely.” In a statement sent to the media during Friday's celebration of International Migrant Workers' Day, Migrante Middle East said massive deployment by the Philippine government of its capable and best labor force abroad has brought home increased remittances higher than last year. Quoting Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, it said the $14.3-billion remittances recorded by end of October 2009 alone is now even higher than the total remittances of last year amounting to $12.6 billion. However, government failed to improve the socio-economic conditions of the majority of the Filipinos whose families are threatened with separation and broken marriages and neglected growing children. While their remittances have helped OFW families buy food, clothing and sheleter and enable them to send their children to school, these could not compensate their sufferings brought about by migration. . Migrante also noted that foreign missions have failed to solve the problem encountered by the OFWs while working abroad like violation of their contracts, unfair labor practices by the employers, physical and sexual abuse. Migrante said the demand for cheap labor in the sweatshops as well as the service and construction industries have caused problems to the migrant workers. “The situation opens OFWs to abuses, maltreatment and other forms of labor malpractices which we have recorded,: Migrante said.
