Saturday, Mar 05, 2011
Gulf News
Vice-President refutes allegations made by workers leaving crisis area
Dubai Jejomar Binay is an enigma of Philippine politics. The 68-year-old lawyer, who grew up an orphan is often compared to the David in the biblical story who slew the seemingly invincible Goliath in his many political battles in over two decades
In last year’s elections he emerged from behind to win against consistent pre-election survey leader Manuel “Mar” Roxas in the vice-presidential derby.
The vice-president arrived in Dubai from Kuwait on Monday night after skipping his scheduled trip to Saudi Arabia and advanced his UAE visit. Excerpts of the interview with the vice-president follow:
Gulf News: What’s the latest on the Philippine government’s efforts to move Filipino workers out of Libya?
Jejomar Binay: According to [Foreign Affairs] Secretary [Albert] del Rosario, they had rented four houses in Tunisia because the numbers [of evacuees] are getting bigger. There are frontline officers in the border of Egypt and Libya as well as in Tunisia and Libya. The secretary sought the help of many of our consuls-general and ambassadors. He brought them there because these are people who have expertise in the region.
We’ve been hearing complaints from OFWs on how the government mishandled the repatriation process.
What do you mean — by the Libyan government or us? We already have lots of people in the field. Many of them are posted there.
An OFW who was repatriated from Libya was saying on TV that they were told by the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli that there will be people who will attend to them at the border and yet there was none to be found.
I don’t think so. I find it hard to believe that claim. Foreign Affairs Secretary Del Rosario was there, how can these people say that no one’s there to attend to them? I’m saying, the government team is there. [Foreign Affairs] Undersecretary [Esteban] Conejos is also there. Secretary Del Rosario [drafted] 40 [diplomats] including [consul-general in Dubai Benito] Valeriano and [consul-general in Abu Dhabi] Adel Cruz. The full force of our diplomatic mission is there.
With what’s happening on the repatriation process, do you see the need to review our OFW policies?
You know, this is a crisis situation. This is not a normal situation, it’s a different ballgame. Many people are dying. There are people in government who are on double-time mode. President Noynoy is not taking things for granted.
Like what you did in China, are you going to negotiate for OFWs facing capital punishment in this region?
When I was in Kuwait I took time to make representations with the government for them to review the cases of several of our countrymen. We are very hopeful. I also visited our POLO [Philippine Overseas Labour Office] and I was able to make arrangements for the immediate travel of 76 Filipinos whom I found in our safe house.
I called up Manila right away and they guaranteed their repatriation. We also hope to do the same to some [distressed] OFWs here in the UAE.
Basically many problems come from those who are undocumented. They leave the country after getting influenced by recruiters who are not government registered and 80 per cent of our problems are of OFWs who are undocumented.
There are 600,000 Filipinos in the UAE. If there are maltreatment cases here, I think these are isolated cases, in fairness to the host country. The problem is negative; things get blown up. I suppose 90 per cent of them are happy and enjoying their stay here.
Are you looking at forging a bilateral agreement that covers household service workers in the UAE?
Yes, I’m sure the government is working on that.
HADRIAN HERNANDEZ/Gulf News
Jejomar Binay
interview
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