Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva emphasized the need for robust bilateral agreements with other nations to shield overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from exploitation and abuse. Villanueva stressed the importance of such agreements to ensure the enforcement of standard contracts, fair compensation, and efficient mechanisms for assisting distressed OFWs.
Villanueva, who spearheaded the legislation establishing the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), underscored the persistent challenges faced by many OFWs laboring in foreign countries. He urged continued collaboration with host nations to enhance protections for Filipino workers.
The Senate leader commended the recent ruling by a Kuwaiti appellate court, affirming the conviction of the perpetrator involved in the tragic case of OFW Jullebee Ranara. Ranara, a 35-year-old worker overseas, was found deceased in the desert last January. Reports indicated that she had been sexually assaulted and impregnated by her employer’s 17-year-old son.
Villanueva expressed the government’s unwavering commitment to securing justice for OFWs who have endured hardships abroad while striving to provide for their families.
Additionally, he emphasized the necessity of fully staffing the DMW’s regional offices to combat illegal recruitment and cases of forced labor. Villanueva also urged the department to equip its personnel in Migrant Workers’ Offices with the necessary skills and resources to support all OFWs, regardless of their documentation status.
