PHL, US Sign Agreement to Protect OFWs’ Welfare

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 The Philippines has signed a partnership agreement with the United States Department of Labor to ensure the welfare of migrant workers.

In a ceremony held on June 11 at the US Department of Labor in Washington, ambassadors representing the embassies of the Philippines, Honduras, Peru and Ecuador signed partnership agreements with US Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis.

The agreements would ensure that migrant workers are aware of their rights to safe workplaces and to receive full payment of the wages owed to them under the laws of the US.

The accord augurs well for Filipino migrant workers throughout the US.

The 2010 US Census showed that the number of “Filipino in any combination” increased by 44.5 percent from 2,364,815 in 2000 to 3,416,840.

The protection of the rights and promotion of the welfare and interest of Filipinos overseas is among the three pillars of Philippine foreign policy.

“We are very pleased to sign these joint declarations and letters of arrangement with DOL,” said Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia Jr.

He said “we assure DOL we will do our part in ensuring the dissemination of helpful information to Filipino workers concerning their right to a safe and healthy working environment, and fair wages and working hours in the US, and in assisting them to seek redress when such rights are disregarded or violated.”

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