About 85% of OFWs in Syria undocumented By Pat C. Santos 08/22/2011

About 85% of OFWs in Syria undocumented

By Pat C. Santos 08/22/2011

About 85 percent of the total 17,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) working in Syria were undocumented and were illegally recruited and victims of human trafficking, according to Blas Ople Policy Center (BOPC).

Susan Ople, director of the BOPC, said this yesterday at “Balitaan Sa Tinapayan” forum where she belied earlier reports that only 60 to 70 OFWs had expressed desire to return to RP after being caught in the Syrian conflict.

“Hindi ako naniniwala na kokonti lang sila, marami akong natanggap ng text na humihingi ng tulong para makauwi na sila sa bansa at ang iba sa kanila ay pinipigilan ng kanilang mga employers at ang iba ay hindi alam ang gagawin,” Ople said.

Ople asked the government to host a dialog between the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the families of OFWs working in Syria and hope to forge a high level negotiation with the Syrian government for the repatriation of OFWs trapped on the recent violence in Syria..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110822nat3.html