A migrants' rights group has criticized the Philippine mission in Dubai for enforcing a new travel rule requiring overseas Filipino workers (OFW) to issue an affidavit of support for visiting relatives. The new travel regulation, initiated by the Philippine Bureau of Immigration and implemented on Aug. 14, requires Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates to get a declaration of sponsorship or affidavit of support for visiting families and relatives. The document, which will be notarized at the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, costs about P1,000 In a statement, Migrante International said the policy is an added burden to OFWs in UAE. “Why is the Philippine Consulate imposing this requirement when it is not even required by the Dubai government? It is an added cost and inconvenience to our OFWs,” said Migrante chairman Garry Martinez. Martinez suspects that new requirement is another money-making scheme by the government. “It appears this is yet another form of extortion against OFWs,” he said. In a news report by UAE-based Khaleej Times, however, Consul General Benito Valeriano said the new measure was aimed at protecting Filipinos against illegal activities such as human trafficking. “It is the duty of government to protect its people. Sponsors should not look at this requirement as a burden but as an effort by government to ensure someone is responsible for holders of tourist or visit visas when they reach UAE,” the article quoted Valeriano as saying. He added that with the new process, the consulate uncovered illegal activities by some Filipino workers who sponsor friends, relatives and even strangers in exchange for a fee. “Through this process, I discovered a lot of illegal travel agents. Affidavits which will be presented at the airport upon departure of tourists or holders of visit visas have become a business for some groups of people who sponsor for money,” Valeriano explained.
