June 2011 Sulyapinoy Issue

8/6/2019 June 2011 Sulyapinoy Issue

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EPS ( ) The Voice of the Modern Living Heroes

The Official Publication of Fi l ipino EPS Workers Association-South Korea (FEWA)

Volume 2 Issue 16 2011 www.sulyapinoy.org NOT FOR SALE

EPS(

)

OFW-KOREA-2006-001

People and God-centeredAssociation

Filipino EPS Workers are warned about disinformation and rumors being spread regarding the 2

year contract extension. The Philippine Embassy, POLO, HRD-Korea and MOEL have not made any

official pronouncements to confirm this. The current EPS-MOU is on a status-quo. Beware of indi-

viduals, syndicates and other unscrupulous agency promising you assistance in exchange of expen-

sive fees to process for change of visa or extension of contract. Protect yourself from these illegal

activities and prevent them from victimizing other Filipino EPS workers. Please report them immedi-

ately to FEWA or POLO. Only deal with the proper authorities and officials with regards to your

change of contract status.

SULYAPINOY is accepting cash donations for its monthly printing expenses. You may deposit them @ Account # : 1002 640 334730 / Acnt Name: Marcelino M. / Bank: Woori Bank - Hyehwa-dong Branch

The Ministry of Employment and La-

bor (Minister Lee Chae-pil) said onJune 21 that an amendment to the En-forcement Decree of the Act on ForeignWorkers' Employment etc., containingthis feature had been passed at a cabi-net meeting.

Any employer who employs non-professional foreign workers (thoseholding E-9 or H-2 visas) under the Em-ployment Permit System should takeout departure guarantee insurance so

that he/she can make retirement pay-ments to the foreign workers when theydepart from Korea. This has so far ap-plied only to businesses or workplaceswith five workers or more.

However, the retirement benefit systemwas extended from workplaces with fiveworkers or more to those with fourworkers or less on December 1, 2010.

retirement payments to them on time.

For these reasons, the scope of work-places required to buy departureguarantee insurance is expanded toinclude workplaces with four workersor less.

The revised decree will enter intoforce on August 1. According to it,workplaces with four workers or lessshould buy departure guarantee insur-ance only for foreign workers whoseemployment contracts will take effecton or after August 1.

* Foreign workers employed beforeAugust 1 will receive retirement payaccording to the retirement benefitsystem.

Besides, the amendment abolishes therequirement for employers to return

* Each employment permit contains

the name and passport number of therelevant foreign worker, so there islittle chance of misuse even if it is notreturned. However, up until now thelaw has required a return of employ-ment permits if they are revoked,which has done nothing but causeunnecessary inconvenience to employ-ers.

In order to enhance punishment forrepeat offenders, the amended lawimposes additional fines if it has beenrepeatedly violated over a two-yearperiod.

" The amendment will help foreignworkers in small workplaces to receiveretirement pay promptly and reduceworkplaces' burden of making retire-ment payments all at once," said Lee

Jae-gap, Deputy Minister of the Em-ployment Policy Office. " The Ministrywill distribute detailed implementationSource - http://www.moel.go.kr/english/topic/employment_policy_view.jsp?& idx=8 0 3

ADVISORY on Contract Extension
http://www.moel.go.kr/english/topic/employment_policy_view.jsp?&idx=803http://www.moel.go.kr/english/topic/employment_policy_view.jsp?&idx=803http://www.moel.go.kr/english/topic/employment_policy_view.jsp?&idx=803http://www.moel.go.kr/english/topic/employment_policy_view.jsp?&idx=803http://www.moel.go.kr/english/topic/employment_policy_view.jsp?&idx=803http://www.moel.go.kr/english/topic/employment_policy_view.jsp?&idx=803http://www.moel.go.kr/english/topic/employment_policy_view.jsp?&idx=803


2/8 JUNE 20112

For Comments, Suggestions, Contributions &Advertisements,

e-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

SULYAPINOY observes the Philippine PressCode of Ethics .

* We reserve the right to refuse any submissionwe deem does not meet our policies and

guidelines.

D I S C L A I M E R

Different opinions are encourage to stimulatemember input and involvement. SULYAPI-NOYs role is to provide information that per-mits FEWA members to develop informed opin-ions on subjects that will affect their status

as migrant workers and, in some instances,their personal lives. FEWA does not hold itselfresponsible for statements made by any con-tributor. Statements or opinions expressed inSULYAPINOY reflect the views of the author(s)and not the official policy of FEWA unless sostated.

Is Reintegration an Option? Reintegration is a government pro-gram to encourage Overseas Fili-pino Workers (OFWs) to stay and workin the country instead of going abroadagain. In his pronouncements PresidentPnoy himself desires that Filipinos work-ing abroad should be a matter of choicerather than a necessity. Promising as itmay seem, reintegration for most OFWsmay not be a practical choice but a no-choice.

The Ramdam Survey made by Sulyapi-noy on contract extension showed thatmany of these Employment Permit Sys-tem (EPS) Filipino workers are soon tobid goodbye to South Korea. When theywere asked about their readiness to goback home, only 10% of those who an-swered said they are ready, 24% willapply for other countries, 59% wouldwant to come back to Korea, and therest answered they are undecided. Thisproves that many are not yet ready toreintegrate for various reasons. Thesurvey also shows that many of thosewhose contracts have ended or aboutto end and do not have guarantees ofbeing able to come back because oftheir age have opted to become un-documented. Their number becomessubstantial when added to other nation-alities choosing to become undocu-mented to ensure continued work.

In the Middle East, governments areaggressively pursuing nationalization ofjobs so that their own citizens can workinstead of hiring migrant workers; aclear indication of dwindling and morecompetitive international labor marketsfor OFWs. Philippine data shows that in

www.sulyapinoy.org

Contributor : Gennie Kim, J ack Rusl, Ehd Villarta,Benjue del mundo and Marzy Serdena

Saudi Arabia more than 60% ofOFWs are rehires compared to thosenewly hired pegged at less than40% .

Saudi Arabia, a country employingthe biggest number of OFWs in theMiddle East, is finally implementingits long protracted Saudization policy.The Philippine government is tryingto allay fear among OFWs with theirwait-and-see attitude, but for mostmigrant workers and their familiesSaudization is a serious issue. Al-though no clear estimate has beenmade so far as to its possible impacton the economy, it should be consid-ered as cause for concern for every-one.

Calamities like the earthquake thatturned into a nuclear disaster in Ja-pan, the internal conflict in Libyaand other threats to peace and secu-rity in other countries are adverselyaffecting the livelihood of many ofour OFWs. Some were forced toevacuate, leave their jobs and goback to the Philippines without jobs.

Responding to these situations, lastJune 7, 2011 the Philippine govern-ment launched a 2-Billion Pesos Re-integration Program in Manila in timefor the Migrant Workers Day and

First National Congress of OFWs andFamilies. The Reintegration Programis a joint project of the Departmentof Labor and Employment (DOLE),Overseas Workers Welfare Admini-stration (OWWA), Land Bank of thePhilippines (LBP) and the Develop-ment Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

The reintegration program will supportviable businesses of OFWs especially

in agribusiness, tourism, education,and healthcare. OFWs with existingbusinesses or those who want to startany business or livelihood project mayapply for loan assistance of up to 2million pesos without collateral pay-able in 7 years with 7.5% annual in-terest.

For many OFWs reintegration is thelast recourse especially when they areunable to find jobs because of theirage. Some groups are criticizing theloan under the reintegration program.They believe that it is a potential pit-fall for OFWs to sink further in povertyonce they failed in their business en-

terprises, since not all OFWs are capa-ble of putting up and sustaining a suc-cessful business. Other groups claimthat OFWs do not need loans, butshould be provided with a job for theirsource of livelihood.

Whether reintegration is an option orno-choice at all, OFWs will have todeal with it in the short or long run.But for many, they are not yet keen tobite the bait of the government, par-ticularly with the present economiccondition and the prevailing job mar-ket situation. Instead many still prefermigration as their only solution to

their economic woes. And for someEPS workers they will ignore the dan-ger and insecurity of being an undocu-mented worker just to have a contin-ued job.


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EDITOR SNOTE

JUNE 2011 www.sulyapinoy.org3

Guidelines for Happy Return for Foreign Workers in Korea

SolidarityBy Airlinehunk24

BENEFITS FROM RETURN


4/84 www.sulyapinoy.org JUNE 2011

Photos by Samuel Grado and Kuya Nhads

The Department of Education announced lastyear plans of adding more years in the basiceducation system of the country, citing that thePhilippines is lagging behind compared to othercountries, not only in terms of its quality but alsoof the accepted length of basic education. May ofthis year, training of teachers for the inclusion ofthe mandatory kindergarten and additional twoyears in high school started for the planned im-plementation next year.Since the announcement, the initial preparations

have already been met with mixed reactions fromthe people here and abroad. Some have agreedto the plans, in light of the increasing competi-tion in the international education review rank-ings and job market in the Philippines and abroad.Currently, the Philippines is the only country in

Asia still practicing the 10-year basic educationcurriculum, compared to our other Asianneighbours who have within a decade decided tomove their minimum years of basic education toeither 11 or 12 years. Proponents agreeing withthe move contend that this may help with theeconomic condition of the country, while otherscite that this may contribute to our students

competitive edge in the international arena.There are those who also disagree with thismove, citing reasons of economic difficulties orthe specific feasibility evidences that support thegeneral claim. The governments provision forpublic schools have not improved compared tothe countrys financial state, state universitiesare also receiving a slashed budget from theapproved budget proposal, and teachers areagain being fought for by various civic groupswith reasons of under compensation comparedto the amount of work being given to them.Others say that the reason for the sufferingquality of education cannot be blamed on thenumber of years in school, but mostly also onthe curriculum being followed predominantly inthe public schools. Others are questioning theoverall preparedness of our schools and schoolpersonnel, the budget, the students and parentsthemselves, and the resources available such asthe books and school supplies.The confusion with what to do and how to recon-

figure the system is also not helped with the

changing question of if the traditional subjects,

how they are taught, or how they are being re-

ceived by the students are still useful in the pre-

sent times. Further, not only in the Philippines

but the dominant Western countries, such as the

United Kingdom and the United States, are also

experiencing trouble, with issues of tuition fee

increases and slashed university education budg-

ets. As witnessed in the previous months

DepEd K12+ Program: Setback or Solution?

in local and international media, thedisagreement of the political movesinside the halls of Congress or Parlia-ment have moved to the streets asdemonstrations were waged and wit-nessed, clashes between the students,teachers and professors, and concernedparents who take the heavy brunt ofchurning their wallets and breakingtheir backs for loan payments to getthrough their studying. Add to this the

concern of being underemployed orbeing completely unemployed even,and you have a crisis that branches outto more than political unrest and eco-nomic discontentment.Our elderly often tell us of a Filipino

belief, that material wealth can be sto-

len and taken from us but not our edu-

cation, our degree, and/or of what we

keep inside our heads. Many OFWs

send children to school and universities.

Given our family values, more often

than not these children may notjust be

our own but may also be our relatives,

nephews, nieces, even grandchildren.

Either way, we feel a sense of pride

when they are able to graduate, but are

also involved when they themselves feel

the frustration of not being able to find

employment that may correspond to their

needs and training, not to mention double

the hurt when they cannot finish at all.

More importantly, we assist in sending

them to school even from afar because it

is our hope that they can pass along the

thought that with the education they re-

ceive they can get out of the difficult

plight we found ourselves in, a plight they

hopefully do not have to experience them-

selves. But what happens when the educa-

tional system that you rest your hope on is

in itself lacking? How do you make up for

that deficiency, if you do not know where

to start or where to put the supplementing

aids? There is room for experimentation

and the exploration of possibilities, but no

one will disagree that there is very little

room, if any at all, when it comes to con-sidering the future of our countrys chil-

dren and with what they are taught.

By Corinna B. Estarija


5/85www.sulyapinoy.org

Sa unang baitang sa Elementarya tinalakay ng aking maestrasa Sibika at Kultura ang kahalagahan ng ama sa isang pa-

milya. Ito daw ang nagsisilbing haligi ng tahanan. At angtahanan ay hindi matatawag na tahanan kung wala ang haliginito. Kaugnay rin ng salitang Ama ang mga salitang, proteksyon,kalinga, responsibilidad at gabay ng pamilya.Sa aking murang isipan batid ko ang kadahilanan ng kawalan nghaligi ng aming tahanan, sapagkat lumisan ang tatay patungongGitnang Silangan. Sa hirap ng buhay, talamak na kurapsyon atmangilan ngilang opportunidad sa Pilipinas, hindi sapat ang kitang tatay para tustusan ang pag aaral naming apat na magkaka-patid. Kayat minabuti ng tatay na makipagsapalaran na lamangsa ibayong dagat. Hindi man namin sya kapiling, tinayuan niyaang responsibilidad na ibigay ang aming pangangailangan.

Subalit may mga pagkakataon na nagtatampo ako sa aking tatay.

Naiisip ko noon na hindi lubos ang pagmamahal niya sa amin,dahil mas prayoridad niya ang pinansyal na pangangailangannamin. Tila ba yun lamang ang alam niyang pangangailangannamin. Pano ang pagkalinga, pagtatanggol at proteksyon, hindiba niya alam na kailangan rin namin yun? Wala siya para ipag-tanggol ako sa mga mapanukso kong kaeskwela na ang tawagsa akin ay tabatsoy. Wala din siya para daluhan ang taunangPTA Meeting. Disin sana ay paborito rin ako ng mga guro tuladng mga anak ng PTA officers. Kung pwede lang hatiin ng nanayang katawan niya para daluhan sabaysabay ang PTA meeting ko,ng kuya ko at ng nakakababata kong kapatid, marahil nakaligtasako sa hagupit ng pamalo ng aking guro na walang kasing hapdipag dumapo na sa aking binti. Lagi na lang daw kasing absentsa meeting ang mga magulang ko.

Gayunpaman, kasabay ng pagdampi niya ng yelo sa namamagakong binti, ay ang walang sawang pagpapaliwanang ng nanayng dahilan kung bakit wala ang tatay para daluhan ang mgaganung pagpupulong. Kung bakit wala ang ang tatay sa tuwingsasapit ang pasko at kaarawan ko. Kung bakit ang panganaykong kapatid at hindi ang tatay ang magsasabit akin ng medalyasa tuwing may honor ako.

Dumating ang araw na pinakaantay ko. Ang pagdating ng tatay.Sa wakas, madadaluhan niya na rin ang PTA meeting; makak-abili na rin kami ng isang lata ng floor wax na tiyak na ikatutuwang aking guro. Hindi na ulit ako mapapalo sa binti. Hindi na rin

ako tutuksuhin ng aking mga kaeskwela. Takot lang nila sa tatayko.

Subalit sa halip na magalak, nabalot ng lungkot ang amingtahanan sa pagdating ng tatay. Lulan ng kanyang wheel chairang mala lantang gulay niyang katawan, bakas pa ang mangi-lang ngilang pasa sa mukha - pinilit ng tatay na salubungin kaming ngiti.Family Driver ang trabahong nakuha ng tatay sa bansang Bah-rain. Bukod sa pagmamaneho, pamamalantsa at paglalaba angtrabaho ng tatay doon. Malimit siyang ikulong ng mga amo ni-yang arabo sapagkat bawal sa bansang iyon ang makisalamuhaang mga kalalakihan sa mga kababaihan. Mapalad na raw angtatay kung makakain siya isang beses sa isang araw. Sa konting

pagkakamali - hampas, palo at tadyak ang inaabot ng tatay samalulipit niyang amo.Hindi namin batid ang paghihirap na iyon ng tatay dahil pulosmagagandang balita ang laman ng mga liham niya sa amin.Wala kaming kamalay malay na ang pagkaing ihinahaain ngnanay sa aming hapag ay buhat sa pawis at sakit ng katawan natinitiis ng tatay.

JUNE 2011

Likas man ang mapagtiis sa ating mga pilipino, dumarating rin angmga panahong sinusukuan na rin natin ang mga sitwasyon na tila

walang ng katapusang magpapahirap sa atin. Tulad ng tatay, sinubu-kan niyang takasan ang pagpapahirap na iyon. Ngunit sa kasamaangpalad, hindi siya nagtagumpay. Bago pa man niya tuluyang nalisanang mala impyernong tahanan ng malulupit niyang amo,sunod na sunod na palo sa ulo, tadyak at hampas sa ibat ibang ba-hagi ng katawan ang tinamo ng tatay. Nawalan ng malay ang tatay,sa ospital na ng muli siyang magkamalay.

Sa tulong ng tiyahin ko na nuon ay nasa bansang Bahrain din, naipa-gamot at nakabalik sa Pilipinas ang tatay. Kung ilang hampas, palo attadyak ang tinamo ng tatay sa bansang iyon, tanging ang tatay nalamang ang nakakaalam.

Hindi awa, kundi matinding paghangga ang naramdaman ko sa tatay

ko noon. Sadyang napakapalad ko pala sa tatay ko. Kulang ang mgasalitang papuri para mapantayan ang mga sakripisyo niya para saamin. At hindi mababayaran ng salapi o anumang halaaga ang ipina-malas niyang kadakilaan.

Madalas ay nakakaligtaan natin ang mga sakripisyo ng mga amangpinagkakautangan natin ng ating buhay. Iba iba man ang paraan nilang pagpapakita ng pagmamahal, kapiling man natin sila o hindi, iisalang nais nilang lahat - ang mapabuti ang hinaharap ng kanilang mgaanak.

Ang sakripisyong iyon ng tatay ang naging gabay naming magkaka-patid sa pakikipagsapalaran sa buhay. Sakripisyong nagbigay sa aminng ugat at mga pakpak. Ugat, para matunton ang tahanang aming

pinagmulan, at mga pakpak para lumipad at isabuhay ang mga pag-papahalagang itinuro nila sa amin.

Dalawa sa kapatid kong lalaki na pawang OFWs din ay hindi matat-waran ang pagmamahal at sakripisyong ipinamamalas sa kanilangmga supling. Ganun din ang aking panganay na kapatid na nanahanngayon sa bansang Korea, katuwang ang kanyang responsablengasawa sa pagtataguyod ng kanilang anak - ayun sa turo ng butihinnaming ama.

At ako, katulad ng aking mga kapatid sa ibat ibang dako ng mundo,san man ako dalhin ng aking mga pakpak - ay magbabalik sa Pilipi-nas na siyang aking pinag ugatan, kung saan nananahan ang dakilanaming Ama at Ina.

Si Mary Ann Octavio na tubong

Bulacan ay kasalukuyang nag-aaral

ng Lengguwaheng Koreano sa

Ehwa Language Center.

Ang Tatay ko na OFWMary Ann Octavio


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6 JUNE 2011www.sulyapinoy.org

NOTICE OF REGISTRATION ANDELECTION TO ALL FILIPINO CITIZ ENSBy: COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, MANILA

Notice is hereby given that under Republic Act No. 918 9, otherwise known as The Overseas Ab-sentee Voting Act of 2003, all citizens of the Philippines abroad, not otherwise disqualified by

law, at least eighteen (18 ) years of age on the day of the election, and who are registered overseasabsentee voters with approved application to vote in absentia, may vote for Senators and Party-ListRepresentatives. For this purpose, all qualified Filipinos citizens not registered as voters under Repub-lic Act No. 8 18 9, otherwise known as The Voters Registration Act of 1996, (the system of continu-ing registration) shall file an application for registration while those who are already registered underthe said Act shall file an application for certification.For purposes of the May 13, 2013 elections, the filing of applications for registration/certification and

transfer of registration records shall be filed at the Post or other designated registration areas fromOctober 31, 2011 to October 31, 2012.

The 30-day voting period will commence on April 13, 2013 until 3:00 oclock in the afternoon(Philippine time) of May 13, 2013 at any Philippine embassies or consulates.

Source - http://www.philembassy-seoul.com/ann_details.asp?id=447

Pumunta sa Fund TransferSection ng Korea Post branch napinakamalapit sa inyo. KRW 8,000 lang angRemittance fee para sa perang padalang aabotsa halagang USD 1,000 o KRW 1 M!

Members of Filipos and FEWA wowed organizersand participants of Seoul-mazing Race, organized

and sponsored by NEH magazine, a publication ca-

tering to expats in Korea. (June 11, 2011, Youido

Park)

Seoul-mazing Race
http://www.philembassy-seoul.com/ann_details.asp?id=447http://www.philembassy-seoul.com/ann_details.asp?id=447http://www.philembassy-seoul.com/ann_details.asp?id=447http://www.philembassy-seoul.com/ann_details.asp?id=447http://www.philembassy-seoul.com/ann_details.asp?id=447http://www.philembassy-seoul.com/ann_details.asp?id=447http://www.philembassy-seoul.com/ann_details.asp?id=447


7/87JUNE 2011 www.sulyapinoy.org

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