OVERSEES Filipino Workers (OFWs) should undergo language and cultural training before deploying them abroad.
According toTechnical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General, Sec. Guiling Mamondiong, he sent letters to the Department of Labor and Employment and it’s attached agencies like Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), urging them to include language and cultural training as requirements for OFWs, which will depend on countries where they will be deployed.
“We are identifying key languages, especially to countries with large populations of OFWs being deployed like Arabic in the Middle East countries, Niponggo in Japan, Mandarin in China, Spanish, French and Korean as well,” Mamondiong said.
He said most of the OFWs are experiencing culture shock, especially the first timers, because of the communication gap.
He said an orientation is not enough and DOLE should impose a formal language and cultural training for OFWs before sending them abroad.
“Especially that other countries are sensitive like the Middle East. This would serve as a matter of protection to our OFWs.
Likewise, our labor officers assigned in other countries should also know the language,” he said.
Mamondiong also assured repatriated OFWs who are victims of abuses and maltreatment that they will get assistance from TESDA though skills training.
A TESDA desk will also be installed in different airports in the country, to screen and enroll abused OFWs to TESDA’s skills training program.
“After we enroll them, we will refer them to our provincial offices so that they can start the training immediately,” Mamondiong added.
Mamondiong also said he is against deploying our women to other countries, as domestic helpers.
“I’m really against it. That’s why I’m urging other government entities to create a special program for the women sector. I pity our Filipina OFWs who were victims of abuses and maltreatment. We should come up with a special program catering to Filipino women,” he said.
Meanwhile, DOLE-7 acting director Cyril Ticao said that he favored TESDA’s proposal.
“If this is for the good of our OFWs, then I will support it but the decision should come from the higher ups of the department. I guess it’s better if they will address the recommendation to DOLE Sec. Silvestre Bello III,” Ticao said.
He admitted that some employers abroad have asked potential workers to undergo language training before deployment.
Training for Indigenous Peoples
Meanwhile, the skills training by TESDA for cultural minorities has borne fruit.
Joel Elosendo, 52, a tribal leader of the Tribu Ati Minorities Vendors Association, found an opportunity to improve the lives of his fellow tribesmen.
“Nagpasalamat mi nga gitagaan mi og dakong higayon ug pagtagad sa atong pangulo nga tagaan og opportunidad ang mga katutubo,” he said.
(We are thankful that we are being recognized by the President and given this kind of opportunity for us the native people).
He said there are about 300 members or 68 families belonging to their tribe in Naga City, Cebu, who originally are part of the Ati people from Iloilo City of Panay island.
Elosendo said they came to Cebu in 2000 to look for better opportunities to uplift their lives. Most of them are now working in a flour milling factory in Naga City.
“Panahon na kini nga naay makat-onan ang mga nitibo (This is the time that natives will have an access to education),” he added.
Tesda and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) partnered to give free skills training to cultural minorities in the country.
“No one should be denied with education. Hindi po natin hahayaang ma neglect ang mga IPs,” said Mamondiong, who added that there is a P6.9 billion budget of Tesda for the Free Tuition Act.
Mamondiong said they will also be taught a comprehensive Socio-economical and Political Development.
“They become vulnerable to recruitment (by the New People’s Army) kasi napabayaan sila. We have to bring the government closer to the IPs,” he said. the program is also open to the muslim communities.
Aside from the free access to education, Mamondiong said they will also provide food and transportation allowance and tool kits for the trainees.
There are about 28 million individuals in the country classified as indigenous people through their ethnolinguistic groups, said Darrel Honorario of NCIP in region 6 and 7. Twelve million of them are from the muslim communities.
In Central Visayas, there are around 40, 000 IPs who are Badjao, Eskaya, Saka and Ati people.
Tesda 7 Regional Director Conrado Bares said that they are targeting of at least 2, 000 IPs to be accommodated in the program this year, giving at least 1, 000 slots available for IPs in Cebu.
“Targeting 2, 000 (IP) this year is workable, but we will target as many as our resources will allow. Anyway, this will be done yearly,” he said on a text message.
He said the skills trainings will start next month in 11 training centers in the region, six of which are in Cebu.
“This will lead to employment. We will assist them (to) find employment,” Bares added.
Mamondiong said he will coordinate with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), DOLE and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the deployment facilitation of the graduate trainees.
The enrollment of the skills training program is scheduled on Feb. 27 to 28, in the Tesda training centers.