Iraq-bound filipino workers told to wait

By APD Writer Melo M. Acuna

CLARK FREEPORT, ANGELES CITY, August 10 (APD) – Filipinos hoping to provide better lives for their families by working abroad should engage recruitment agencies of good standing and make sure destinations are specific otherwise they may be sent to war-torn areas like Iraq.

Philippine Chargé d’affaires to Iraq Elmer G. Cato

Philippine Chargé d’affaires to Iraq Elmer G. Cato called on Filipinos seriously considering working in Iraq to wait for the peace and order situation to further improve.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.

Speaking before a media training on fair recruitment and labour migration, Mr. Cato said there are presently 4,000 Filipinos in war-torn Iraq though most of them are based in Kurdistan Autonomous Region.

He added Filipinos who land in some other Middle Eastern countries are convinced by some human traffickers to move to some other places where pay is considerably high though dangerous to lives and limbs.

He explained he met Filipinos who never expected to work in Iraq among others.

“There used to be five car bombings everyday but it has somewhat improved to four,” he added.

However, he hastened to add while areas like Mosul have been liberated from the ISIS control, they have also received information these areas are slowly being infiltrated by ISIS elements.

Government figures revealed some 5,878 Filipinos leave the country’s airports for overseas employment daily.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration sent 2,112,331 Filipino workers abroad where 2,112,331 are deployed in the Middle East last year.

The government’s Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported some US$ 26.9 billion have been sent by Filipino workers abroad last year.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)