Proposed Credit Assistance Bill

TO ALL OFWS - RETURNING/RETIRING:
CMA Director Ellene Sana has always provided us with updates regarding OFWs.
Many of us are still unaware of whatever impact we make on our government except of course the remittances we send.
Through this medium, we hope to share what is happening right now in our country about us – OFWs.
Kahit hindi po tayo makapagpahayag ng ating mga kuro-kuro, maaari naman po nating mabasa at malaman kung ano ang kasagutan sa maaari nating maging katanungan. Hindi na po  natin napapag-ukulan ng pansin ang mga bagay na ito dahil sa maraming kadahilanan, isa na po ang ating pag wawalang bahala – kasi sasabihin natin – bahala na nga sila kung ano ang kanilang nais gawin.  Pero dapat po nating alalahanin na ang lahat ng ito ay makatotohanan at para rin sa atin. Kung nuong mga nakaraang panahon ay tila walang malasakit ang ating pamahalaan sa mga nangyayari sa atin, ngayon po ay mayroon na tayong boses at higit sa lahat ating isaisip ang ating karapatan.
Maraming salamat po.
______________________________________________-

From: King <rey_orbon@yahoo.com>
To: pinoy-abroad-forum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, October 13, 2010 6:28:44 PM
Subject: [pinoy-abroad-forum] Re: results of sept 30 twg on credit assistance bills

 
Dear Ellene,

Sorry if ever it is only now again that I had participated in the discussion on the OFW affairs. On the proposed credit assistance bills, I would say that the proposal is laudable, but I would say that they are all cosmetic. What I am looking for is on the proposed bill as authored by Cong. Rufus Rodriguez, wherein he is spousing for the credit assistance to the returning OFWs. On the average the OFW that is returning for good in the country is not bringing with them millions on their end of service awards (or indemnity as we call it here). If it is the thrust of our government that we as a country take-off economically, the Bill as prosed by Cong Rufus Rodriguez be passed and become a reality.

Many of the returning OFWs has little capital but this cpaital is not enough for him to open a small or medium sized company or business so he needs help from the government thru a loan assitance. This is what we really wanted. This kind of program will give a boost to the ecomic uplifment not only of the returning OFW and his family but by the countryside where he is living. The OFW had labored so much not only for his family but for the country as well. It is a fact that in so many times in the past if not for the OFW remittances our country could have succumbed in the many financial crisis that hit our country. Because of the OFW remittances the country was made afloat from these crisis. Our government should take cognisance on these and at least payback all these hardships by giving the returning OFWs credit assistance in their planned business endeavors. We, OFWs do not need the accolade "Bagong Bayani". We dont need this lip service. What we want is a concrete program just like this credit assistance if he (OFW) is plannung to open up a business. I just hope that this bill by Cong. Rodriguez would be supported by all the honorable men of congress if only to recognize the contributions of the millions of Filipino OFWs thoughout the world.

Just like me, in particular, I will be going home for good in the very near future. I had already planned the kind of business I will put up once I come home in our country. But the money that I will bring will not be enough ( as I am not planning to open a sari-sari store). I will need assistance from the banks or other lending institutions for loans. If the government will institute a program wherein OFWs can avail of loans with very minimal interest rates and at longer paying periods,(much better if they can give character loans) then that would be a tremendous help for us as aspiring entreprenuers that are formerly OFWs. The business that we will open will have a big multiplier effect. We will be hiring people to help us in our business and we will create jobs for our people. We will pay taxes. We will be purchasing from suppliers who will supply us with our raw materials or finished goods that we will sell. Think of all these.

The only option for me when I come home in the Phils is to open up a business as I am too old to seek employment in the country. I will go to business as this is the way that I can be of help to my people and to my country. The Bill as proposed by the honorable Rufus Rodriguez should be enacted now and should not be kept in the back burner. This is the kind of Bill that has to be acted NOW if the Phils aims to catch up with our neighboring countries. Malaysia, Thailand, Indonisia and now Vietnam is very much aheasd of us in terms of economy. Our government leaders under the leadership of Pres. Aquino should see the wisdom in helping and extending credit assistance to returning OFWs who wants to venture into business.

To Ellene, please take up the cudgels for the OFWs that the Bill as proposed by Cong Rodriguez be given preference by our congress as this is one of the keys in the progress of our country. TO OUR GOVERNMENT LEADERS THIS IS OUR CHALLENGE, EMPOWER THE RETURNING OFWS THRU CREDIT ASSISTANCE AND SEE THE PHILS. TAKING POSITION SIDE BY SIDE WITH OUR PROSPEROUS ASEAN NEIGHBORS!

Reynaldo S. Orbon
OFW - Al-Khobar
Saudi Arabia

--- In pinoy-abroad-forum@yahoogroups.com, "ellenesana" <ellenesana@...> wrote:

  hi all.
 
  sept 30 twg on credit assistance:
  present:
 
  NGO --noel esquela, cma
  recruiters - pasei
  dbp and lbp
  owwa
  legislative staff of congs. angara, arroyo and syjuco (authors of the bill)
  cowa
 
  it was agreed, as suggested by noel, that before they can start the discussion on the substance of the proposed bill, owwa should first present its report on the implementation of the credit assistance program per ra8042 provision. owwa was therefore tasked to prepare its report for the next twg meeting.
 
 dbp will also provide a copy of the moa between dbp and owwa/dole on the pdl and fal signed in 2005.
 
  please be assured that your inputs/ comments on the proposed bill are intact and will be presented in the twg in due course.
 
  maraming salamat muli.
 
  ellene
  
  --- In pinoy-abroad-forum@yahoogroups.com, ellene sana <ellenesana@> wrote:

  dear malou, tina:
 
  salamat sa comments and inputs. i hope it is ok that i am sharing your comments to our e-group of pinoys abroad.
  briefly, tina on your clarifications:
  1. in the owwa scheme, there was no bank account requirement, kaya talagang walang pressure to pay back unless owwa runs after the ofw borrower through some other ways;
 
  2. how they arrived at the P50T amount -- we do not know also...we will seek clarification on thursday and keep you all posted.
 salamat!
 
 regards,
  ellene
  --- On Tue, 28/9/10, Mary Lou Alcid <mlalcid@> wrote:
  
  From: Mary Lou Alcid <mlalcid@>
  Subject: request for inputs/ comments on proposed credit assistance program for ofws [1 Attachment]
  To: "Ellene Sana" <ellenesana@>
  Received: Tuesday, 28 September, 2010, 11:41 PM

   Dear Ellene,
 
  Kumusta na? Do consider the comments below  by my friend Tina Liamzon  who works with  Pinoys/Pinays in Rome and other  cities of Itay.
--- On Tue, 28/9/10, Cristina Liamzon <cristina.liamzon@> wrote:

   From: Cristina Liamzon <cristina.liamzon@>
  Subject: Re: [migrationdev_orgs] request for inputs/ comments on proposed credit assistance program for ofws [1 Attachment]
  To: "Mary Lou Alcid" <mlalcid@>
Date: Tuesday, 28 September, 2010, 7:49 PM
  Re: [migrationdev_orgs] request for inputs/ comments on proposed credit assistance program for ofws [1 Attachment]
  Hello Malou,
  Many thanks for sending this...here are some comments to the questions being raised.
  for the twg on sept 30, our requests to you:
  2. are you ok with the proposed repayment mechanism? i.e. coursing it through the bank? the interest of 6%? (note in RA10022, loan interest should not be higher than 8% per annum)
  The lower the interest rate for the OFW borrower/family, the better in a way as of course this means that they will have to pay less and thus more income for the OFW/family. At the same time, this rate is a highly subsidized rate and I’m just wondering if this is sustainable given the costs of administering the mechanism and the program, including the previous high default rate of 70% (2008)in the previous loan program.
  Yes, I would think that for more effective payment of loans, it would be best to course through the banks which have more presence in various cities etc than the OWWA offices. The main drawback though is because the loans are insured and OWWA funds serve as guarantee funds, the banks do not really have the incentive to run after loan repayments as they will be ultimately paid anyhow. The HB stipulates that the OFW/family needs to open an account with the bank in the Phil from where the loan will be disbursed and s/he must also use this account for all future remittances. The remittances would then serve to pay the monthly amortizations, given the authorization from the OFW to the bank. I think it would be helpful to check if this was also the mechanism in the previous program, that the OFW was required to also send the remittances to the account of the bank where the loan was given and how this worked out.
  Otherwise, just repeating the same procedure could lead to the same result of non-repayments of the loans.
  3. are you ok with the sanctions? disqualification from future overseas employment? puede ba ito? hindi ba violation of the constitutional right to travel ito?
  There is really a very high risk that loans will not be paid back by the OFWs and this has already been the experience so far. For one, OFWs/their families believe that this is ‘their’ money anyhow (as they pay an annual OWWA fee), why the need to repay; secondly, it is the rare OFW who does not incur a lot of debt prior to departing from the Phil; often, it can mean that they are indebted at high, even usurious interest rates. They will in all probability pay back these high-interest loans first before even thinking of meeting their obligation to OWWA...in fact, in financial literacy classes, the teaching is to pay back loans with highest interest first, before those with lower interest rates.
 
   I think a rather heavy threat/penalty would serve as a real disincentive to loan default by the OFW/families, including the possible threat of disqualification (or suspension) from future overseas employment; it may thus be a more effective tool for encouraging repayments than has otherwise happened wherein banks have the sole responsibility for loan collections and they’re obviously not very efficient going about it and as I said earlier, they don’t have enough incentive to really run after the borrowers with the insurance.
  4. are you ok with the amount of P50T maximum? would you propose that the loan for pdl be a choice between P50T or the exact amount as allowed by poea, i.e. equivalent of one month salary?
  I’m not sure how the amount of Php50k was reached. How many months family income was this amount supposed to cover while the OFW gets settled in the host country. Why the magic amount of 50k? I suppose the amount could be spent paying back the loans with high interest rates incurred by the OFW/family in leaving. But the amount could also be used by the family to spend on consumer items that are not really needs...but again that all depends on the level of financial education of the OFW/family â€" to ensure the maximum use of the loan.
  Hope these help...
  All the best,
  Tina

Who will be our nominees as ofw reps in owwa, poea, philhealth, pag ibig? let's do it!

Subject: Who will be our nominees as ofw reps in owwa, poea, philhealth, pag ibig? let's do it! We would like to nominate CMA Director Ellene Sana.  OFWs here in Nigeria will always be grateful to CMA Director. In Philhealth  -- the first rep of ofw in the board was former Caloocan Mayor Rey Malonzo.(Has he ever been an OFW?) _________________________________________________ From: Fe Jusay To: pinoy-abroad-forum@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, 12 October, 2010, 10:24 PM Why don't we nominate Ellen Sana. fe __________________ I second the motion Fe. Dapat alisan ng karapatan tumanggi si Ellene! Jun S. Aguilar President & CEO FMW Group Holdings Inc. Suites 304 - 305 PARC House II 21 EDSA Guadalupe, Makati City _________________________________________________________ --- On Wed, 13/10/10, Daphne Ceniza wrote: From: Daphne Ceniza Subject: Re: [pinoy-abroad-forum] who will be our nominees as ofw reps in owwa, poea, philhealth, pag ibig? let's do it! To: pinoy-abroad-forum@yahoogroups.com Received: Wednesday, 13 October, 2010, 12:26 AM   I think the ball should start rolling on putting pressure on Dole and OWWA to act on this. Instead of wasting money on Mr. Sapios representation allowance every time the OWWA Board meet. Can you give us info on their meetings. Daphne --- Subject: Who will be our nominees as ofw reps in owwa, poea, philhealth, pag ibig? let's do it! On Tue, 10/12/10, ellene sana wrote: hi all. in response to daphne's email on the ofw rep to owwa: "....On another matter, do we have to wait until the expiration of the term of Jojo Sapio before we can have a new land based representative at OWWA? He should have been doing something on this matter...." i pasted below rule XVII of RA10022 IRR on the selection of OFW representatives to the POEA Governing Board, OWWA Board of Trustees and other Boards (Philhealth, Pag ibig). let us go over the provisions carefully --noting the manner of selection and nomination and the qualification of the ofw reps..  ...    the law ra10022 with its IRR is already effective, hence this provision should be seriously and carefully considered by all of us to ensure that we select properly in a transparent and democratic manner our ofw representatives, people with integrity, with the ofw interest at heart,  in these government agencies. it would perhaps be a good to start identifying names as possible nominees for these positions. let's do it! if we don't, others will do it! thanks daphne for bringing this up. salamat. ellene RULE XVII MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS Section 1. POEA, OWWA, and other Boards. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the respective boards of the POEA and the OWWA shall have three (3) members each who shall come from the women, sea-based and land-based sectors respectively, to be selected and nominated openly by the general membership of the sector being represented. The selection and nomination of the additional members from the women, sea-based and land-based sectors shall be governed by the following guidelines: (a) The POEA and OWWA shall launch a massive information campaign on the selection of nominees and provide for a system of consultative sessions for the certified leaders or representatives of the concerned sectors, at least three (3) times, within ninety days (90) before the Boards shall be convened, for purposes of selection. The process shall be open, democratic and transparent; (b) Only non-government organizations that protect and promote the rights and welfare of overseas Filipino workers, duly registered with the appropriate Philippine government agency and in good standing as such, and in existence for at least three (3) years prior to the nomination shall be qualified to nominate a representative for each sector to the Board; (c) The nominee must be at least 25 years of age, able to read and write, and a migrant worker at the time of his/her nomination or was a migrant worker with at least three (3) years experience as such; (d) A Selection and Screening Committee shall be established within the POEA and OWWA by the Secretary of Labor and Employment to formulate the procedures on application, screening and consultation, and shall be responsible to provide the list of qualified nominees to their respective Governing Boards; and            (e) The final list of all the nominees selected by the OWWA/POEA Governing Boards, which shall consist of three (3) names for each sector to be represented, shall be submitted to the President and published in a newspaper of general circulation. Incumbent representatives appointed pursuant to this section and who are eligible for re-appointment shall be automatically included in the list referred to under subsection (d). Within thirty (30) days from the submission of the final list referred to under subsection (e), the President shall select and appoint from the list the representatives to the POEA/OWWA Governing Boards. The members shall have a term of three (3) years and shall be eligible for reappointment for another three (3) years. In case of vacancy, the President shall, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, appoint a replacement who shall serve the unexpired term of his/her predecessor. All other government agencies and government-owned or controlled corporations which require at least one (1) representative from the overseas workers sector to their respective boards shall follow all the applicable provisions of this section, subject to the respective Charters, Implementing Rules and Regulations, and internal policies of such agencies and corporations. The existing members of the Governing Boards of POEA and OWWA representing the women, land-based, or sea-based sectors shall serve the remaining portion of their three-year terms. Thereafter, their positions shall be deemed vacant, and the process of selection of their replacements shall be in accordance with this section. If the incumbent is eligible for re-appointment, he/she shall continue to serve until re-appointed or another person is appointed in accordance with this section. Incumbent representatives in the Governing Board with no fixed term shall remain in holdover capacity, until a replacement is appointed in accordance with this section. ___________________________________________________________ Ellene Sana calls for action:  " specifically on the owwa board, i think it has nofixed tenure (?) and the members stay until they are replaced. hence the need for us to start our own nomination and selection process ASAP. let us immediately endorse our own choice of reps to the positions -- for land-based rep, women-ofw rep, sea-based reps. let's do the same for the poea governing board. right now, the positions, i believe, are vacant -- at least for women-ofw and land-based. sa philhealth din -- the first rep of ofw in the board was former caloocan mayor rey malonzo. at syempre, we can demand an ofw slot/s also for pag ibig now that the ofws are also covered by it.   go, go, go! we should take up the challenge in governance! ellene a. sana Center for Migrant Advocacy Philippines 72-C Matahimik Street, Teachers’ Village Quezon City, Philippines Email: cmaphils@pldtdsl.net; URL: www.pinoy-abroad.net Telefax: +632 4330684; Telephone: +632 920 5003; Cellphone: +63 928 795 2222

Alleged arrogance, disrespectful conduct of LA-based V-Consul Charmaine Chua

   Sa lahat ng OFWs:
Naka encounter na po ba kayo ng isang nagtatrabaho sa embassy na katulad ng inilahad sa sulat na ito?
Ano po ba ang nararapat gawin sa katulad nya at sa nag-approve sa kanyang appointment?
May kailangan pa po bang gawin ang DFA na imbistigahang mabuti ang isang empleyado bago ipadala bilang kinatawan ng Pilipinas sa ibang bansa?...tulad ng sane mind in a sound body? ...or kahit yong simpleng good manners and right conduct na lang kaya?
Maraming salamat po.           


 VICE-CONSUL CHARMAINE CHUA

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "Dcgrava@aol.com" <Dcgrava@aol.com>
To: pinoy-abroad-forum@yahoogroups.com; pinoydiaspora@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thu, September 30, 2010 8:38:56 PM
Subject: [pinoy-abroad-forum] Fwd: Alleged arrogance, disrespectful conduct of LA-based V-Consul Chua

 

NOTE: PEX AVES IS LA BUREAU CHIEF OF PINAS NEWSPAPER. -- Dioni

From: Pex Aves <accident.immigrationattorney@yahoo.com>
To:
Sent: Tue, September 28, 2010 8:34:35 PM
Subject: DATELINE LOS ANGELES PEX A. AVES

Paging Consul General Mary Jo Aragon  September 23,2010 10:30 am tinawag ang inyong  Dateliner nang kaibigan nating Editor nang Week-End  Balita si Rhony Laigo,sabi nito pupunta daw kami sa  Philippine Consulate at may Press Conference dahil dumating daw yung ibang grupo nung mga viktima nang human trafficking galing Mississippi.napag kasunduan  namin mag meet kami sa Philippine Consulate at 11:00 am,so ganun na nga naglakad ako papuntang Consulate dahil malapit lang ang Consulate sa opisina ko. 11:15 am dumating tayo sa Consulate at nagtanong tayo sa mga tao duon kung saan ang Press Conference tungkol duon sa mga viktima nang human trafficking at iti nuro tayo sa may room number 532, so tumuloy tayo sa room 532,katok ako nang katok wala namang nag bukas buti nalang after maybe 10 minutes may lumabas so pumasok narin tayo. Nang nasa loob na tayo wala namang tayong taong maka usap at kung may lalapitan ka hindi ka naman papansinin ni hindi ka man lang titingnan. May isang kuarto hindi naman sarado lumapit tayo at sa may pintuan nagtanong  tayo,...sabi ko Iha good morning puede bang magtanong? saan ba e-held yung Press Conference tungkol duon sa mga viktima nang human traficking?.....ang sagot nang medyo bata pa na medyo maliit na dalaga na muntik na akong bumulagta ay....(sa mataas na boses)...HINDI KO ALAM....sabi ko uli...Iha kasi dito ako itinuro na dito raw yung Press Conference....at sa mataas na boses pa rin sabi niya..... HINDI KO ALAM AT WALA AKONG PAKI ALAM.....sa boses na galit....kaya umurong nalang ako pero sinabi ko sa kanya hindi naman seguro dapat niyang ikaka galit ang pagtatanong ko...at sa salitang mataas pa rin at galit... sinabi niya...HINDI AKO GALIT..that was it.umupo nalang ako sa tabi na medyo malapit pa rin sa kanyang kuarto na salamin naman ang dingding kaya kita ko pa rin siya. Ang malaking ipi -nagtataka ko yung mga empleado nang consulado na lumalapit sa kanya ay hindi naman siya galit at ang ganda ganda pa nang kanyang tawa at ngiti, pero napansin ko yung mga papasok ang greetings sa kanya ay Good Morning MAAM.bawat taong papasok ay Good Morning MAAM at napaka tamis nang mga ngiti niya. May isang napa daan sa tapat ko tinanong ko kung sino ba yang medyo bata pa at mallit lang na dalaga at naka salamin, sabi nang empleado at pabulong pa na para bang takot na takot sa kanya, ...ay yan .... siya ang bagong Vice Consul si Charmaine Chua... Aha kaya pala galit sa akin dahil hindi ako nag MAAM sa kanya kasi gusto daw ni Vice Consul Charmaine Chua MAAM ang salutation sa kanya... Ay naku po Consul Charmaine Chua isang daan ka pang vice consul WALA AKONG PAKI ALAM SAYO  at hinding hindi ka makaka demand nang RESPETO SA AKIN.you can earn my respect but believe me you cannot demand respect from me.eh kung si Imelda Marcos nuong panahon nang Martial law hindi ko ni respeto ikaw pa? Pasalamat ka pa tinawag kitang iha, si Imelda Marcos nuon tinawag kung  P---------A sa programa ko sa radyo tsaka seguro mas  maigi bumalik ka sa grade school at mag aral ka nang GOOD MANNERS and RIGHT CONDUCT. at matuto kang gumalang sa nakaka tanda sayo, ang tanda tanda ko na para sigaw sigawan mo lang,eh kung yung pagsisigaw mo sa nakaka tanda sayo yan din ang gagawin nang mga tao sa mga parents mo? sa mga lolo at lola mo?sa mga tiyo at tiya mo?matutuwa ka kaya? At tungkol naman sa kay Consul Aragon seguro madame mag lecture ka dyan sa mga tauhan mo sa Consulado eh mga walang galang sa mga pumapasok sa Consulate eh, para bang mga obrero ang trato nila sa mga filipino, di ba nila alam bilyon bilyon ang contribusyon nang mga filipino dito sa California sa gobierno nang bankarotang Pilipinas?at sila bay bingi or nag bingi bingihan lang nang sinabi ni Pres.Noynoy Aquino na tayong mga filipino ay ang kanyang BOSS? so kayong mga nasa baba nang hagdan nang bureaucracy eh di mga BOSS din ninyo kami?G Isa pa madame consul Aragon  seguro alam mo naman na ang Consulado dito sa Los Angeles ay ang pinaka bentana (window) nang ating bansang DUKHA.di ba dapat lang magagandang ASAL ang ipapakita nang mga tauhan mo dyan sa Consulado,kasi marami ring mga americano kumukuha nag Visa papuntang Pilipinas dyan eh,masamang mga BASTOS na mga empleado ang maka salamuha nila, baka SABIHIN PA NILA lahat tayong mga filipino ay BASTOS,WALANG MODO, MAL EDUKADO.SALAMAT PO.

__._,_.___

__,_._,___

Fw: [pinoy-abroad-forum] consultation on pag ibig for ofws

 Sa lahat ng OFW:
Atin pong pag-aralan ang lahat ng nasasaad dito.
Maraming salamat po.
______________________________________________


----- Forwarded Message ----

From: jun aguilar <fsaguilarjr@yahoo.com>
To: pinoy-abroad-forum@yahoogroups.com
Cc: PPP <partidong-pangdaigdigang-pilipino@yahoogroups.com>; fmwgroup@yahoogroups.com; PPP-ICC <ppp-icc@yahoogroups.com>; WFA-generalmembershipgroup@yahoogroups.com; OFCI <ofcinternational@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Fri, September 24, 2010 6:11:34 AM
Subject: [pinoy-abroad-forum] consultation on pag ibig for ofws

 

Hi Ellene, To my surprise, hindi ko alam talaga na may maayos na provident components pala ang Pagibig Funds na hindi pwedeng tapatan kahit ng SSS at GSIS. Kaya nga kasama rin ako sa tumuligsa at tumutol sa mandatory membership at gawing requirement sa OEC ng departing OFW's. Pero after the presentation at discussions yesterday with top Pagibig officials, nagbago ang pananaw ko. Para sa akin mas maraming pakinabang ang OFW sa kanyang Pagibig membership kaysa sa OWWA membership. One classic example is the return of OFW Pagibig contributions plus dividends (all tax free), In OWWA, you wont get anything from your contribution once you ceased paying your membership dues (even after decades of paying your 25 USD). Moreover,  Pagibig Fund is guaranteed by the Govt while OWWA Fund is a guaranteed piggy bank by those in the Govt!!!  As far as I know, there is no Bank (private or govt) that can beat the lending rate of Pagibig it gives to its members @ 6% per annum for Half a million pesos or less. Since Pagibig Fund is flexible, tax free and with govt guarantee, it can even be a very good investment vehicle and Savings mechanism for OFW's. Imagine the reduced risk on members investments compared to buying pre-need plans, mutual funds or bonds from private companies. I have suggested yesterday to look on the possibility of increasing the current rate of return to OFW investments to entice them to save more by parking their money into the Fund. Getting a loan in Pagibig is also easy and systematic compared to OWWA where you will have to "bleed" before you can get into the Fund. In fact, even getting a financial report of the OWWA Fund has taken us years of waiting without success. We raised howl and jeers on the 600 pesos kasi nga ay arbitrary ang dating not to mention kulang sa consultation at pagpapaliwanag. I'm sure Daphne, Ka Ronnie and most of our colleagues will find the Pagibig Overseas Program (POP) very helpful to our Sector once they see the complete presentation of the Program. Dapat lang siguro na magkaroon ng Representative ang OFW Sector sa Board of Trustees ng Pagibig so it can participate in reviewing existing guidelines and policies. Para maiwasan din ang another spurious transaction like that of Globe Asiatique. Jun S. Aguilar President & CEO FMW Group Holdings Inc. Suites 304 - 305 PARC House II 21 EDSA Guadalupe, Makati City --- On Thu, 9/23/10, ellene sana <ellenesana@yahoo.com> wrote: From: ellene sana <ellenesana@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [pinoy-abroad-forum] consultation on pag ibig for ofws To: pinoy-abroad-forum@yahoogroups.com, "cma" <cmaphils@pldtdsl.net> Date: Thursday, 23 September, 2010, 7:09 PM   hi all. yesterday's pag ibig consultations had the following pag ibig officers in attendance: 1. senior vice president alex aguilar, provident operations 2. linda moreno, vice president for pag ibig overseas program 3. amado dizon, manager, overseas operations department 4. ms severa buquid, manager, ofw-members services department 5. ms floriann jacinto, servicing department 6. mr philip salem, information officer for deployment to saudi arabia (soon) from the migrant groups: cma, ecmi, sla, dawn, pmrw, marino, fmw, and others.  agenda: consultation of pag ibig with migrant groups re implementation and information dissemination on  universal coverage of pag ibig under republic act 9679. UPDATES: A. Mode of payment: Back to P100 per month but ofw may opt to make advance payments; [this is related to the suspended memo circular of poea 7 which stipulates an advance payment of pag ibig contribution equivalent to 6 months or for the duration of contract, whichever is lower] --so hindi na po mandatory na 6 months, balik sa P100/month at optional na lang kung gustong mag advance payment ng pag ibig contribution.]    B. Pag ibig to forge tie ups with remittance centers (i-remit) to facilitate payments from overseas [dagdag na arrangement po ito para daw po mas maging madali ang pagbabayad ninyo ng pag ibig contributions ninyo] C. pag ibig membership --is not a pre-requisite to issuance of OEC (hindi po ito katulad ng owwa membership fee o ng enrolment sa compulsory insurance under ra10022  na requisites to the issuance of your overseas employment certificates]  . Discussion of RA 9679. 1. legal basis: ra9679 was passed into law in the 14th congress on july 21, 2009; it took effect august 27, 2009; but implementation started in january 2010 only -- embarked on information campaign first [please note that the universal or mandatory coverage of pag ibig which now includes OFWs is mandated by law. me batas na po, so ito pong diskusyon at konsultasyon e para sa masinop at epektibong pagpapatupad ng batas. of course, we always have the option of amending the law but in the meantime that the law is not yet amended, then the spirit of the consultation is the effective and smooth implementation of the law. as i said in my earlier postings, hindi po namin nalalaman na me amyenda palang ginawa sa pag ibig. nalaman na lang namin e batas na po ito.]  2. salient features: a) universal (mandatory) coverage -- all employees compulsory covered by SSS, GSIS, those employed by previously-waived companies (that implement a "more" superior benefit package) AND ALL FILIPINOS EMPLOYED BY FOREIGN-BASED EMPLOYERS (i.e. OFWs) b) tax-exemption -- earnings/ loans/ savings/ benefits from pag ibig are tax exempted. before, pag ibig paid P3B annually in taxes. c) contribution rate -- P100/mo (minimum, share of employer; no ceiling though in terms of amount the employee wants to contribute) 3. benefits a. provident: --multi-purpose loans/ short term loans (on the average P17-18T)  --calamity loans (e.g. ondoy)  b. housing loans -- starting at 6% per annum payable in 30 yrs c. pag ibig savings (para po kayong nagdeposito sa bangko, with more benefits, at secured po ang pera ninyo kasi government guaranteed)  mas marami -- tax free dividend earnings and savings; portable and government guaranteed savings) (grounds for claimings: i) maturity period 15yrs optional (after 180monthly contributions) or ii) 20 yr membership maturity (or 240 monthly contributions); iii) upon reaching 60 yrs old; iv) upon retirement; v) total disability/ insanity; vi) separation froms ervice due to health reasons; vii) permanent departure from philippines (to settle abroad as permanent residents/ immigrants or naturalised citizens); viii) upon death d. death benefits 4. Pag ibig 2 -- open to all ofw pag ibig members; sabi sa brochure nila, it serves as alternative to educational plans, pension plans and time deposits. higher interest rates, with options for shorter maturity period.... 5. membership -- once a member, always a member. basta lang po ilagay ninyo palagi sa transaction ninyo yung registration tracking number (rtn). kung hindi pa member, then you should enrol under the new law. for more details pls find attached the pag ibig primer. cma comments to pag ibig:  1. nabigla po ang ofws kasi wala naman kahit anong impormasyon/ konsultasyon sa migrant sector na isinagawa at ipinaabot. basta me memo kaagad na mandatory at advance payment pa! dapat kilalanin ng gobyerno mataas ang level ng mistrust sa kanila ng sektor. maraming mga karanasan ang sektor na kapag nangangailangan na ng serbisyo sa gobyerno e napakakunat at pahirapan pa. 2. ilang mungkahi: a. harmonize government efforts in info dissemination on government programs and services -- apart from pag ibig, me philhealth pa, owwa, sss, compulsory insurance under ra1002 among so many others na kailangang alam ng ofws -- we suggested na mag ugnayan at mag usap ang ibat ibang ahensya sa pag package ng impormasyon para sa kaalaman ng ofws. makakatipid pa sila, mas buo at malawak ang buong konteksto. at mas magiging masinop. from pag ibig --nagsimula na nga daw silang mag usap usap.... pati pagtutulungan sa koleksyon at info dissemination sa abroad pinag uusapan na daw nila... b. cma also suggested that discussions and consultations with pag ibig should include a discussion on labor migration issues anc concerns para alam nila ang sektor. from our end, this is a way to sensitize them on the issues. c. we also suggested that their information officers deployed in a few countries should aggressively reach out to the filcoms in order to solicit their support and cooperation. makakatulong ang filcoms sa pag papaaabot ng tamang impormasyon sa community. we offered to share with them the contact details of cma partners in areas where they are present (rome, milan, athens, madrid, brunei, hongkong, singapore, taiwan, california, dubai, kuwait, qatar, riyadh, jeddah, al khobar, bahrain, abu dhabi) --of course, cma will seek permission from partners if they will agree to be contacted by the pag ibig information officers.  d. we reminded pag ibig to cooperate also with lgus on information dissemination as the lgus are mandated by ra10022 to engage in pdos and peos. e. we proposed also that the primer be translated in major dialects too; that they should make available the materials at the airports and pre-departure lounges for distribution to departing filipinos. pero sana, reader/ofw friendly yung material. in a separate email, we will send you their statement in regard to the asiatique mess story. all for now. please feedback your questions/ comments/ clarifications so we can sustain the conversation/ consultations with pag ibig. salamat sa mga nagkomento -- salamat ke chato (italy), fe (holland), kiko (uae), lito and vangie and pusong pinoy (nigeria), daphne (hongkong) at iba pang mga kasama.  ka jun aguilar, pakidagdagan mo itong inisyal kong ulat... ellene       ellene a. sana Center for Migrant Advocacy Philippines 72-C Matahimik Street, Teachers' Village Quezon City, Philippines Email: cmaphils@pldtdsl.net; URL: www.pinoy-abroad.net Telefax: +632 4330684; Telephone: +632 920 5003; Cellphone: +63 928 795 2222 ---

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SCAM PUBLICATIONS

A" winning notification" was posted in this blogspot.
Please know that no such posting was done by Ang Buhay ng Overseas Worker.

Fw: [pinoy-abroad-forum] pag ibig consultation bukas: me nais kayong ipaabot?

To OFWs,
Isa na naman pong pagkakataon ang ipinaaabot sa atin ni CMA Director Ellene Sana tungkol sa Pag Ibig re: mandatory implementation for OFWs.
Sana magkaroon din ng consultations dito sa Nigeria at sa iba pang panig ng West Africa na marami ring OFWs tulad ng Ghana.
Please read on at kung meron kayong suggestions ipaabot lamang po sa mga kinauukulan.
_________________________________________________________________

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: ellene sana <ellenesana@yahoo.com>
To: pinoy-abroad forum <pinoy-abroad-forum@yahoogroups.com>; cma <cmaphils@pldtdsl.net>
Sent: Wed, September 22, 2010 9:40:42 AM
Subject: [pinoy-abroad-forum] pag ibig consultation bukas: me nais kayong ipaabot?

 

mga kasama: me konsultasyon ang pag-ibig bukas para pa rin sa usapin ng implementasyon ng mandatory pag-ibig for ofws. me nais kayong ipahatid sa pamunuan ng pag ibig? gaya ng nauna nang balita, suspendido muna ang mandatory implementation nito. paglilinaw din ng pag ibig noong huli naming pulong sa DOLE ay HINDI rin ito gagawing requirement para sa issuance ng OEC. dahil suspendido lang, sooner or later e ipapatupad pa rin ito. in this light, would you have additional suggestions/ recommendations para sa maayos na pagpapatupad nito? o nais nyo ba magsagsawa ng konsultasyon dyan sa mga lugar ninyo ang pag ibig. earlier, they had conducted consultations with ofws in milan, singapore ata, also hongkong? tinanong ko nga kung nagpunta sila sa middle east. hindi pa daw. sorry for this late notice....kakarating ko lang sa opis e.   ganun pa man, pls let us know your thoughts on the issue. salamat. ellene ellene a. sana Center for Migrant Advocacy Philippines 72-C Matahimik Street, Teachers' Village Quezon City, Philippines Email: cmaphils@pldtdsl.net; URL: www.pinoy-abroad.net Telefax: +632 4330684; Telephone: +632 920 5003; Cellphone: +63 928 795 2222

The New Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Mr. Nestor Padalhin

Meet the new Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency,       
Mr.  Nestor Padalhin

It was quite sometime before an ambassador was sent to Nigeria; the post left vacant at the end of Ambassador Masaranga Umpa whose  tenure  spanned for more than a decade. Although the embassy was efficiently run by Consul-General Alex V. Lamadrid, the coming of the ambassador is a relief.

It is a common knowledge that this post has underlying problems, although not in the Middle East category, but mind-boggling all the same. What with illegal recruiters, deployment ban, and moral decadence, to name a few.

The ambassador, a career-diplomat hailed from  Aklan. Although this is his first ambassadorial posting, his experiences are vast and varied. Very soft-spoken but exuding confidence, he did not waste time in re-orienting his own staff first and then addressing issues of the Filipino community. He has already lined-up worthwhile activities for the community. He reiterates the obvious: Filipinos seek employment abroad to better the lives of their families.
Ambassador Padalhin is married with four boys.

The Migrants interviewed the new Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Mr. Nestor Padalhin.

1. How do you find Nigeria and the Filipino workers here?

I find Nigeria as a challenging and interesting country. Nigeria is a regional and economic power in West Africa. It has the 6th largest deposit of gas in the world, the 8th largest producer of petroleum in the world, the 37th largest economy in the world in terms of gross domestic product (GDP), the most populous country in Africa (150 million), the biggest economy in West Africa and the second largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria accounts for 60% of Africa’s GDP. Nigeria is a rich country, materially, and in terms of human capital. It has rich, diverse and interesting culture. The people are warm and they seem to be a happy people.

I am impressed by the Filipinos in Nigeria. They are highly-regarded and well-paid. They have a high sense of patriotism, are cooperative with the Embassy, have a high sense of belonging as Filipinos, are hard-working and helpful of each other. They are happy to be in Nigeria.


2. Before coming here, who is Nestor Padalhin?

Immediately before Nigeria, I was in DFA Home Office as Vice-Chairman of the DFA Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat (DFA-OAVS) from January 2009 – 24 June 2010. I was confirmed as Philippine Ambassador Extraordinary Plenipotentiary (AEP) to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and seventeen (17) other West African states, by the Commission on Appointments (CA) on 03 February 2010. My departure for Nigeria was delayed until after the May 2010 presidential election.

3. Is this your first ambassadorial position? If not, what country/countries? Can you compare your previous posts to your present post in Nigeria?

Yes, Nigeria was my first Ambassadorial posting. I waited for quite a long time, but the Philippine President gave me 18 countries to handle. So, my long wait was somehow compensated. I have been in the Philippine Foreign Service for over thirty-five (35) years: Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) from May 2006 to August 2008; Beirut, Lebanon from February 2003 to May 2006; Nairobi, Kenya from March 1994 to December 1996; Seattle, Washington, USA from August 1986 to October 1988; Bangkok, Thailand from July 1983 to July 1986; and Kobe, Japan from June 1979 to July 1983.

In-between these dates/years, I have been in the DFA-Home Office, occupying various senior –level positions


4. What can you say about the diaspora of the Filipinos?

Filipinos are located in all corners of the world: either as regular workers or irregular ones, or as residents or as spouses of citizens of their host countries, or a UN staff or international staffs of multi-national corporations. In general Filipinos are dependable, hard-working, industrious, law-abiding, loyal to their employers, patriotic and responsible members of society.


5. What are your programs for the Filipino community here? Knowing the Filipinos’ lifestyle (the good and the bad) everywhere, Nigeria is no different. How would you help restore/rekindle the inherent values/traits of an OFW?

As far as the Filipino community in Nigeria is concerned, I have brought to them a message of love, peace, unity and understanding. I believe that no other nationalities can help Filipinos better than the Filipinos themselves. I plan to restore/rekindle the inherently beautiful values/traits of the Filipinos. I will involve them in worthwhile community activities. As a matter of fact, I have already announced the series of activities for the remainder of 2010 involving the Embassy and the Filipino community.



6. The kidnappings and the eventual ban of the workers in Nigeria was a blow to the economic status of the workers and their families back home. If similar incident happen during your stint, what would be your decision, if ever the government imposes a ban?

I want to clarify that the deployment ban for Nigeria was just partially lifted. It was lifted only for Filipinos who are vacationing in the Philippines and are returning to their employers/jobs. There is still deployment ban for Filipinos entering to work in Nigeria for the first time.



7. As the newly-appointed ambassador, how would you describe the working condition of the workers here to the Philippine government?

I can report to the Philippine government that the Filipino workers in Nigeria are better-paid, provided with suitable accommodation, most of them are given food and transportation allowances, well-treated and appreciate.


8. What is your message to the Filipino workers and their families?

I call on the Filipino workers and their families to be proud of our nation, to continue to be dependable, hard-working, industrious, law-abiding, loyal to their employers/work, patriotic, and responsible members of the society. They should also use their money wisely and not to forget their loved ones in the Philippines, one of the main reasons why they seek employment abroad, in the first place.

RP Embassy in Abuja Celebrates Second Philippine Fiesta at Apapa

Saturday, 18 September 2010 15:31 Public Information Service Unit

18 September 2010 - The Philippine Embassy in Abuja reported that it celebrated the "Second Philippine Fiesta sa Apapa" on September 12.

Members of the Filipino community from Apapa, Ikeja, Ikoyi, Lekki, Victoria Island and Lagos neighboring areas participated in the celebrations.

As part of his policy of building bridges with the Filipino community in Nigeria and other parts of Western Africa, Philippine Ambassador Nestor Padalhin attended the fiesta.

Joining him is Finance Officer Jabar Guro, who also served as Consular Assistant during their visit.

The festivities began with a mass, followed by a Philippine crafts and food fair, a women's volleyball competition, a men's basketball tournament, a Philippine-Nigerian cultural performances, and ballroom dancing into the late night.

The group representing Lekki, Ikoyi and Victoria Island, also known as L.L.V., emerged champions in the sporting events.

The Filipino community in Apapa is headed by Mr. Manny Figueroa. END