By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — Five overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Brussels, Belgium, have returned to the country after being repatriated as part of the government’s efforts to combat labor abuses.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the workers arrived in the Philippines on June 12, following the return of two other OFWs on May 27.
The Filipino workers were reportedly recruited by a Polish employer and subcontracted to a Belgian firm.
It was at this firm that Flemish labor inspectors discovered the OFWs had fake contracts and work permits. They were also found to be living in poor conditions.
The DFA’s Office of the Undersecretary for Migration Affairs, the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Flanders, the Migrant Workers Office in Berlin, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) facilitated the repatriation and support for the returning OFWs.
OFWs in Europe are advised to ensure that their contracts and permits are legitimate to avoid falling victim to abuse.
(el Amigo/mnm)
