Sokor may deport 8,000 Pinoy illegals

About 8,000 undocumented Filipinos working in South Korea may be deported as Seoul resumed a crackdown on illegal migrants, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said yesterday.

Reports reaching the DOLE office in Manila said the South Korean government renewed the crackdown after an amnesty for illegal workers lapsed last June 30.

Seoul-based labor attaché Reydeluz Conferido said only a small percentage of Filipino workers in South Korea will be affected by the crackdown.

Conferido told The STAR there are 8,000 undocumented Filipino workers in South Korea, down from 18,000 in the past. There are 42,000 documented Filipino workers.

"The number of illegal Filipino migrants is much lower now because many of them opted to avail themselves of the amnesty initiated by the government of South Korea," he said.

He added that so far, only 146 Filipino workers have been arrested and deported back to the country.

Korean authorities launched its amnesty program to encourage illegal migrants to report their status so they could return to their home country and avoid arrest and other sanctions.

Conferido said the South Korean government gave priority to the re-hiring of Filipino migrants who availed themselves of the amnesty.

Better Perks For OFWs

At the Senate, Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. proposed granting perks to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) similar to those granted to senior citizens.

"OFWs have made valuable contributions to our country’s progress. They are our modern-day heroes who kept the Philippines afloat with their remittances. The government should grant them certain rights and privileges," he said.

Villar, chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee, filed Senate Bill No. 633, which seeks to grant a 20 percent discount to OFWs on the purchase of goods and services like transportation, medicine, dining, movies and tuition.

The bill also proposes to exempt OFWs from training fees for livelihood programs and medical and dental services in government health establishments. Dependents of OFWs will enjoy a 10 percent discount on their purchases, as well as free medical and dental services.

Villar said it was "high time" the government recognized the importance of the OFWs to the economy not just of the country but also of the world.

"It has been told that if all OFWs will go on strike for a day, the whole world may not be able to function," he said.