Bill seeks to stop fee payment as travel precondition for OFWs

MANILA, Philippines - In a bid to unburden Filipinos who want to work abroad, a legislator has filed a bill seeking to prohibit the collection of fees from departing overseas Filipino Workerss (OFW) as a travel pre-condition.

"Why demand unnecessary fees and make travel more difficult for our financially hard-pressed workers seeking employment abroad?" OFW Family partylist Rep. Roy ñ said as he pushed for the passage of House Bill 4004.

The bill to known as the "OFW Travel Protection Act of 2014" prohibits the collection of any amount of money in any form or for any purpose from departing Filipino workers as a pre-condition for travel.

ñ cited the right to travel by Filipinos under the Constitution.

"Our modern-day heroes do not deserve to be punished, inconvenienced or annoyed when seeking to exercise their right to travel to foreign countries to find golden opportunities for the sake of their loved ones," he said.

Señeres also cited the OFWs' yearly $22-billion remittance to the coffers of the government.

Section 2 of HB 4004 states: "It shall be unlawful to impose, exact or collect any sum of money in any form as for any purpose from a department overseas Filipino Worker as a pre-condition for travel except those authorized by law."

"The passage of a law for the restrictions is condition sine qua non. Unless there is such a law, the right to travel is paramount and absolute. The restraint should not be done in the guise of forced or compulsory contribution as this will constitute restraint in disguise," Señeres said.

He added that the Overseas Employment Contract between the foreign employer and the OFW includes provisions which take care of the health and welfare of the OFW.

"The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) cannot ignore this fact," Señeres said.

The POEA shall initiate the filing of appropriate criminal complaint in the Department of Justice or any law enforcement agency, against any individual, juridical entity, its officers and personnel who violate the provisions of the proposed statute.