OFWs and Filipino residents in Italy protest the ‘remove middle name’ policy

OFWs and Filipino residents in Italy protest the ‘remove middle name’ policy

By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Bulatlat.com
Remove your middle name.

This is what the authorities of Italy’s Ministry of Interior or the Ministero dell’Interno, have been telling Filipinos in Italy since the agency laid down its Circular No. 29 on October 7, 2010. The labor ministry has since been ordering ordering Filipinos living and working in Italy to “drop their middle names’ in official documents to avoid confusion in the use of middle names.”

Italians do not have middle names.

Migrante Europe and the Migrante chapter in Italy are opposing the circular which, in contrast, has been endorsed by the Philippine embassy in Italy.

In a statement, Migrante Europe said Filipinos are against the new rule and have been actively campaigning for its repeal on just grounds.


“The measure was implemented without consultation with the Filipino community; it has triggered more confusion among Filipinos. The Italian government is unjustly requiring all Filipinos to change their official documents such as passports and other identification cards at their own expense,” it said.

Despite appeals and requests from Filipinos, principally in Rome, to dialogue with the Ministry of Interior and to pursue diplomatic representation to repeal the measure, the Philippine Embassy thru Ambassador Romeo Manalo has reportedly been ignoring the call of his compatriots against the circular.

Earlier last year, Filipino migrants in Italy formed ” Task Force Circular No. 29,” also called Alliance of Filipino Migrants in Italy. The group’s members have reportedly been active on Facebook and other social networking sites, airing their concerns regarding the policy.

New system

The Philippine embassy for its part has already release bulletins containing information on the new system of registration for Filipinos in Italy. The embassy first released Info Bulletin No. 8-2011 on March 18, 2011 to explain the stand of the embassy on the matter.

“The Embassy supports the issuance and continued implementation of the Circulars as it firmly believes that the new uniform system on registering Filipinos in Italy is for the better good of all our kababayans in ltaly”, stated the bulletin..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/02/08/ofws-and-filipino-residents-in-italy-protest-the-remove-middle-name-policy/