OWWA chief: OFW’s death in Kabul justifies ban
Sunday, January 20, 2008
The death of overseas Filipino worker Zennia Aguilan in Kabul, Afghanistan, has given the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) reason to insist that the total deployment ban to four strife-torn countries is justified.
Thirty-one year old Zennia Aguilan, a spa supervisor at the bombed luxurious Kabul Serena Hotel, died of serious injuries she sustained from the bombing. She was one of eight people killed during the attack reportedly done by the Taliban insurgent group who commandeered the hotel and later blew off a bomb.
In a report posted at the news website of GMA 7 television network, OWWA Administrator Marianito Roque said her death proves that there no safe place in Afghanistan and other strife-torn countries where the Philippine government has prohibited the deployment of workers.
Aguilan, a graduate of a course on physical therapy in San Carlos City, Pangasinan, arrived in Afghanistan in July and started working at the Spa Resources International owned by a European. The spa is at the Serena Hotel in the Afghan capital of Kabul.
“Napag-alam natin na sa Dubai siya galing, and from Dubai inilipat siya sa Afghanistan. Kapag ganyan na cross-country ang deployment sa mga bansa na may ban tayo, wala tayong magagawa na maawat sila [We discovered that she came from Dubai, and from Dubai, she was transferred to Afghanistan. If the deployment was cross-country, to another where we have a ban, we can’t stop them,]” Roque said.
Aguilan first worked in Taiwan in 2004, moved to Dubai in 2006 and tried her luck in Afghanistan in July 2007.
On December 17, 2007, the Philippine government banned the deployment of Filipinos to Afghanistan. The ban on deploying workers to Iraq has been in effect since 2004 when the war erupted, and on Lebanon since July 2007.
The ban on Nigeria was imposed in January 2007 following the abduction of 24 Filipino sailors by militants.
Host countries of OFWs have no obligation to inform the Philippine government of a worker’s movement from one country to another, including in countries where deployment is prohibited, according to Roque.
Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo on Monday asked Filipino workers in Nigeria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon to look for jobs elsewhere if they still want to go abroad.
“Our aim is to protect citizens from harm’s way,” said Romulo in a press conference in Makati to launch a partnership with Ayala Foundation for the country’s hosting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development in October.
“There are other places they could go to. I hope they are only thinking that we are looking after their welfare,” Romulo asserted.
Meanwhile, Malacañang has assured that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will provide necessary assistance to the family of a Filipina overseas worker killed in a five-star hotel terrorist attack in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said in a press briefing that President Gloria Arroyo has instructed the DFA and the DOLE to coordinate with the Kabul authorities to ship back home the remains of the victim as soon as possible.
Mrs. Arroyo also directed the two agencies to ensure the safety and welfare of all Filipino workers in Kabul.
As its initial response, the Philippine Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, sent a consular team to Kabul to assist in the repatriation of the Filipina’s remains. [Manila Times]
Ok you are rigth in the wrong way. The more there are an imposed ban in a war torn countries like Iraq and Afghanistan, the more people are keep on going and coming there. Why should you imposed ban tell me? If you die you die even in your sleep and even inside the our own country. You may die the worst death in the Philippines that there. The Filipinos who have worked on such country knows the risk involve including all other nationalities. They work there to earn money which their own country cannot provide. Noli de Castro do you have any work for us Filipinos in our country tel me. if you want to help your fellow countrymen lift up those bans. Never ever ambition to become the president my dear kabayan because you are not worth to become one. Instead of helping you make there life mesirable here in the country because you cannot provide them with a decent job and the surge of price commodities. How can Juan afford such prime commodities with a salary even his bill he cannot pay. Why such country as India and Nepal never impose ban to their people going to work in a country such as Iraq and Afghanistan? Yes because they are practical and because they knew by heart that they cannot afford to give job a decent one to every individuals citizens of each country. You only think of your own sefl interest. i tell you this if you die you die. If you want to win the heart of the masses and help them ease their suffering let them work as free anywhere. If such bans are impose i will tell you who do you think will benifit? The clear answer are the crocs in the immigration office and you who want to be praised as saviour of the less and the mis fortunate. Poeple who dies in such country dies because it is the end of them you may die everywhere, anywhere if it is your time. Don’t worries because your are not paying these people when they die. You watch more on the Filipinos working in a peaceful country such as HongKong, Saudi Arabia, England, USA and the likes where a petty crime can be committed to anybody and prejudice and injustice lurks. God Bless us All
Nung may bombing sa LRT, nagkaroon din ba ng ban ang mga pasahero sumakay ng LRT? Nung pnasabog ang cinema ng Megamall, sinara ang cinema kasi gnawa pero walang ban ang mga tao manood ng movie sa mga mall.
Just for the gov’t to be fair enough, maglagay din tayo ng ban every incident na mangyayari sa loob ng pilipinas. Then, I’m willing to resign my job dito sa Afghanistan as Head of Product Development and Operations in one of the major telecom sa Afghanistan.
ako po ay nasa jordan mahigit isang taon napo ako dito ng walang trsbaho at ngayon po ay na operahan ako sa apendisitis at hangang ngayon po ay wala akong trabaho nasa owwa po ako ng jordan ngayon pra po daw ako mkauwi ay may humihingi sakin dito po sa opisina ng owwa ng 1500 dollars eh wala naman po akong pagkukunan dito ang mga pamilya ko naman sa pilipinas ay walang wala rin po kaya ako po ay humingi po sa inyo ng tulong na makauwi lang po sa pilipinas hangang ngayon po kasi ay hirap na hirap po ako dito
sa kinuukulan po ng owwa nakiusap po ako na tulungan nyo pong makauwi ang kapatid kong nasa jordan na ang pangalan nya po ay Rossana Moreno mahigit isang taon napo sya don at nasa opisina po sya ng owwa at bago po syang opera sa apendisitis hinihingi ko po ang tulong nyo maraming salamat po…