BY ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO | Bulatlat  With the US dominating the world economy, the effects of this crunch have spread to other countries including the Philippines – affecting multitudes of workers who are now struggling to simply live through the difficult times.

Migrant workers in the Eurozone are seeking an investigation over new service rates imposed by the Department of Foreign Affairs in nine Philippine embassies and three consulates general across Europe.
Starting January, DFA has mandated Philippine embassies in Greece, Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria and Vatican City and Philippine consulates general in Spain, Germany and Italy to …

Migrante International together with retrenched OFWs from Taiwan today trooped down the office of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to denounce the government’s failure to deliver its promises of assistance to OFWs who were laid off due to the global financial crisis.
“This Filipino Expatriate Livelihood Support Fund is a hoax. Just like the cheques that were handed down in …

The biggest alliance of Filipino migrant organizations lambasted OWWA Administrator Carmelita Dimzon for pinning hopes on US President Obama to solve the retrenchments caused by the global financial crisis.
“No wonder distressed OFWs find it very difficult to get their benefits from OWWA. No less than the OWWA administrator herself is spending more time daydreaming rather than earning her keep. We …

Migrante International, the biggest alliance of Filipino migrant organizations, denounced President Arroyo’s Administrative Order 248 that will allegedly further intensify the exportation of Filipinos as cheap and docile labor.
“This order is a blatant violation of R.A. 8042, the Magna Carta for overseas Filipinos of 1995, which explicitly states that the state can never engage in promoting labor exportation. Through A.O. …

Business, tourism and migrant workers groups have hailed the forthcoming aviation talks between the United Arab Emirates and the Philippines as a major opportunity to expand and strengthen economic ties at amidst the global economic slowdown.
After a long hiatus of six years, the negotiating panels of the Philippines and the UAE are scheduled to meet in Abu Dhabi …

OFWS AND MIGRATION   By Nora O. Gamolo |  OFWs call for an end to racism and xenophobia; sex trafficking; violence against women; unpaid or low wages; domestic work; lack of proper documentation; labor contract violations; and political persecution — just some of the many abuses faced by the international migrant community.