Special envoy Amb. Roy Cimatu visited Nigeria: Ban soon to be lifted..

After the visit of Gen Cimatu last week, it seems like the ban in Nigeria will soon be lifted.

As it is, Mrs Derpo spoke at length with Gen Cimatu as he arived in Nigeria on March 4, 2009, before proceeding to Abuja.

On March 5th, Gen Cimatu is said to have met wth the Foreign Affairs minister of Nigeria to discuss security situation of OFWs. The Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister reportedly told Gen Cimatu that everything is okay with filipinos in Nigeria, except in Oil areas.

Later in the day, Gen Cimatu went to the compound of Julius Berger Construction company, where majority of expat employees are Filipinos. Gen Cimatu was guided by Engr Lito Nocum, the head of Filipino association in Abuja, in touring the accommodations for Filipinos.

Gen Cimatu quipped that he’d never seen so many cars outside the embassy belonging to OFWs. He compared Nigeria to Lebanon. To which an OFW said in jest, “walang pong DH sa Nigeria kasi”.

Gen Cimatu wrapped-up his visit to Nigeria with a meeting with Filipinos in Ikeja, Lagos. He was met by the Philippine Barangay Society in Nigeria (PBSN) chairperson (and Banaag 2008 Awardee). Mrs Esperanza Derpo in the airport, and to the PBSN clubhouse in Ikeja.

The meeting with PBSN, emceed by Veronica Bernas-Snoxell, started with the singing of the Phil National Anthem. Father Doury, a long-time Filipino priest in Lagos gave the invocation. Mr. Tito Villaruel, VP of PBSN gave the welcome remarks.  Consul General Alex Lamadrid introduced Ambassador Cimatu, after that, Mrs Derpo presented the Naija Pinoys appeal via a power point presentation. – as reported by Marix Tajo.

Gen. Cimatu reiterated his observation that he was impressed at the job positions of Filipinos (managers and supervisors), and the salary/ accommodations they have in Nigeria.

When asked what would be his recommendation to the President, Gen Cimatu gamely said that it’s obvious from his “body language” that he will recommend for the lifting of the ban.

Gen. Cimatu was accompanied by Consul-Gen Alex LaMadrid on his trip to Abuja and Lagos.

Con-Gen Lamadrid stayed in Ikeja until Sunday so he could attend the March Family Day gathering in Ikeja.

Nigeria is home to almost 5,000 OFWs employed in oil & gas, telecoms, construction, manufacturing and services sectors. Filipinos have been in Nigeria since the early 70’s.

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6 Pinoys stranded in Nigeria back in Manila Thursday

6 Pinoys stranded in Nigeria back in Manila Thursday
02/18/2009 | 03:40 PM
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MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Noli De Castro on Wednesday said six of the nine Filipino seafarers reportedly stranded in Lagos, Nigeria, will arrive in Manila Thursday.

The announcement came after De Castro – who is also adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers – had ordered the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the local manning agency that contracted the seamen to bring home the group immediately.

The Filipinos were part of the 18-man crew of M/T Meredith, and who were said to have escaped from an attack by armed pirates on January 21 at Bonny Terminal in Nigeria.

“The families of the seafarers informed our office that their loved ones have already been transferred from a supply boat (EVA 2) to a tugboat (Gallant) and now on their way to Lomé Port in Ghana, West Africa. They reported that 3 of them were not able to join the group that will be repatriated as they were the ones left to man M/T Meredith. We confirmed this with Seagem and with the Philippine embassy in Abuja, Nigeria,” De Castro said.

He said the six who are returning home on Flight GF154 are Rogelio Andales, Raymon de Domingo, Gloriand Sales, Michael Domingo, Alfredo Ferrer and Jebb Alonte. The three who were left behind are Novelito Trapsi, Elmer Cruz and George Parreño.

Manning agency Seagem Maritime Int’l contracted the Filipino crewmen, who manned a ship reportedly owned by Corinthian Maritime SA, Golden Carrier Shipping and Maritime Management Synergy SA.

“Seagem, through Capt. Jun Tuason, explained that their agency immediately acted upon our request. The three seafarers who remained in Nigeria will be included in the next batch to be repatriated. While OWWA Chief Carmelita Dimzon said that assistance to the group will be given upon their arrival in Manila,” VP De Castro said. – GMANews.TV

DoLE partially lifts ban on deployment of HSWs to Jordan

Bakit kaya na i ignore tayong mga OFW dito sa Nigeria?

Kita nyo naman, tanggal na ban sa Jordan. Sunod nyan sa Lebanon.

Kahit marami pa na DH/HSW ang namatay at inabuso sa mga bansang arabo, pero gustong-gusto pa rin ng gobyerno magpadala ng mga ka awa-awang mga DH doon.

Eh bakit sa Nigeria patuloy ang travel at employment ban??

Bakit?

Kasi po, ‘love’ tayo ni Ate Glo. Ayaw nyang mapapahamak tayo kahit na malayo tayo sa kapahamakan. (Oh di ba kapahamakan lang dadanasin mo kung nanatili ka sa pinas, kaya swerte tayo andito sa Nigeria, malayo
sa magulo at hirap-buhay na bansang pinas).

Yung mga DH at HSW, hindi ‘love’ ni Ate Glo. Kaya ayan, lift na ang ban sa Jordan at Middle East countries — graveyard ng mga kawawang kababayan natin.

Ilan nga bang DH/HSW ang na abuso at namatay sa mga ME countries na ito, kumpara sa Nigeria?
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DoLE partially lifts ban on deployment of HSWs to Jordan

By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net

Posted date: July 31, 2008

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment has
partially lifted its ban on the deployment of household service
workers (HSWs) to Jordan, exempting those returning to work with the
same employer from the ban.

In Department Order No. 93-08, Series of 2008, Labor Secretary
Marianito Roque granted the partial exemption, “provided that the
salary of the returning HSWs shall in no way be lower than the
prescribed monthly pay for Filipino household service workers of
$400.”

In an earlier DO No. 88-08, Series of 2008, DoLE suspended the
deployment of Filipino HSWs to Jordan effective Jan. 21, 2008
following reports of abuse, as the number of distressed workers being
housed in the Filipino Workers Resource Center in Jordan increased.

With the new department order, Roque directed both the Philippine
Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Philippine Overseas
Labor Office (POLO) in Jordan to resume processing the employment
documents of qualified returning HSWs.

He also instructed the two government agencies to disseminate the
information and to monitor the terms and conditions of employment of
the HSWs returning to the same employers in Jordan.

The DoLE set the monthly pay of HSWs to $400 to ensure that only
legitimate and capable employers can avail of the services of
Filipino HSWs and eventually eliminate abuse and exploitation against
them.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view_article.php?
article_id=151837