UMAPELA si House committee on accounts at AnaKalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor sa Inter-Agency Task Force at Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines na payagang makauwi ang 167,000 overseas Filipino workers na stranded sa ibang bansa.
“Our modern-day heroes have been stuck in their host countries since the coronavirus outbreak three months ago. They are now low on funds, if they still have money. They rely on aid from our government and their host countries for food. We should bring them home as soon as possible,” ani Defensor.
Sa pagdinig ng komite ni Defensor kahapon, nabatid na nilimitahan ng IATF at CAAP sa 1,000 ang maaaring umuuwing OFW sa bansa matapos na ma-stranded sa Metro Manila ang may 24,000 umuwing OFW.
Itinanggi ng CAAP na mayroon itong ipinatutupad na limitasyon at itinuro ang IATF.
Sinabi ni Defensor na ngayong napauwi na ang 24,000 stranded na OFW, dapat ay payagan ng makauwi sa bansa ang stranded na OFW.
“We can give priority to OFWs who have purchased plane tickets on their own or with the help of their employers and our government. There are thousands of them in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar. They are not allowed to board commercial flights due to the IATF prohibition,” ani Defensor.
Sinabi ng Department of Labor and Employment na maraming OFW ang bumili o binilhan ng ticket ng kanilang amo ang hindi makauwi dahil hindi pinapayagan ang kanilang eruplano na lumapag sa bansa.
“With go-signal from the IATF and CAAP for their flights, these workers can already be home in days. Many airlines, including Emirates and Qatar, was willing to accept them. Since they will fly commercial, they will be home at no cost to the government,” dagdag pa ni Defensor.
Nagreklamo ang mga OFW sa pagdinig dahil paulit-ulit umano na nakakansela ang kanilang mga flights.
“Many of them are already desperate. They have been jobless for more than three months now. They want to go home and be with their families. Let’s get them home.”
Nais din ni Defensor na matiyak na agad lalabas ang resulta ng COVID-19 testing sa mga OFW upang makauwi na ang mga ito sa kanilang pamilya kapag nag-negatibo.