http://www.gmanews.tv/story/202126/probe-into-abuse-of-pinoy-ojts-in-spore-sought
Probe into 'abuse' of Pinoy OJTs in S'pore sought
KIMBERLY JANE T. TAN, GMANews.TV
09/28/2010 | 02:44 PM
Senator Franklin Drilon on Tuesday said he wants to look into the situation of Filipino on-the-job trainees in Singapore who are allegedly being forced to work in hotels there for half of the minimum wage.
"They (Singapore hotels) recruit students under the guise of OJT [scheme], they pay them half of what is required under Singapore laws. This is [a] rampant practice in Singapore. This is something that we have to expose," Drilon said after the Senate budget hearing of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
What's worse, he said, is that the students are not protected by any Philippine government agency because they do not pass through the DOLE, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
"They are not given adequate protection," said Drilon, adding that OJTs eventually return to the country after six months because they do not have work permits as student trainees.
OWWA chief Carmelita Dimzon and POEA administrator Jennifer Manalili both admitted that since they [students] are "technically" not workers, they are not under the agencies’ jurisdiction.
Drilon said he has asked the DOLE to submit a report on how many students are being recruited as workers under “OJT" scheme and are paid wages way below the minimum.
Drilon noted, however, that the schools where the students are enrolled should be aware of the problem.
"These (students) are the responsibility of the schools. If something happens to the trainees abroad, the schools can be made to answer especially if it is shown that they were negligent in allowing recruiters to recruit their students," he said.
He said his committee is also looking into what kind of remedial legislation can be done to prevent the problem from worsening. "We must come up with some regulation before this becomes a practice," he said.
Probe into 'abuse' of Pinoy OJTs in S'pore sought
KIMBERLY JANE T. TAN, GMANews.TV
09/28/2010 | 02:44 PM
Senator Franklin Drilon on Tuesday said he wants to look into the situation of Filipino on-the-job trainees in Singapore who are allegedly being forced to work in hotels there for half of the minimum wage.
"They (Singapore hotels) recruit students under the guise of OJT [scheme], they pay them half of what is required under Singapore laws. This is [a] rampant practice in Singapore. This is something that we have to expose," Drilon said after the Senate budget hearing of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
What's worse, he said, is that the students are not protected by any Philippine government agency because they do not pass through the DOLE, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
"They are not given adequate protection," said Drilon, adding that OJTs eventually return to the country after six months because they do not have work permits as student trainees.
OWWA chief Carmelita Dimzon and POEA administrator Jennifer Manalili both admitted that since they [students] are "technically" not workers, they are not under the agencies’ jurisdiction.
Drilon said he has asked the DOLE to submit a report on how many students are being recruited as workers under “OJT" scheme and are paid wages way below the minimum.
Drilon noted, however, that the schools where the students are enrolled should be aware of the problem.
"These (students) are the responsibility of the schools. If something happens to the trainees abroad, the schools can be made to answer especially if it is shown that they were negligent in allowing recruiters to recruit their students," he said.
He said his committee is also looking into what kind of remedial legislation can be done to prevent the problem from worsening. "We must come up with some regulation before this becomes a practice," he said.
