Jpepa to legalize abuses vs Pinoy nurses - CBCP

MANILA, Philippines - Members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines on Friday lamented the ratification of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa), saying that it would legalize the abuses committed against Filipino workers. Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez, chairman of the CBCP committee on public affairs, said that there was a problem with the nation's leaders after noting that Jpepa was ratified despite strong opposition. “There’s a great disparity sa atin, masyado tayo naging mabait to our disadvantage," Iniguez said. “There are a lot of provisions na masyado kawawa ang Filipinos like the sovereignty, yung pwede sila magtayo ng product nila and the opening of their market to health care workers which is napakahirap ng conditions para mag-qualify mga workers natin," the Caloocan prelate lamented. According to the proponents of the Philippines-Japan trade agreement, the newly ratified accord will give the country more work opportunities especially for Filipino nurses and caregivers. But for Fr. Edwin Corros, executive secretary of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerants (ECMI), Jpepa was tantamount to legalizing abuses against foreign nurses. “What is very clear is we will be abused again. Now, if you are a nurse and you’re still thinking about going to Japan, I think you have to be cautioned or you have to be cautious about going there because you know exactly what’s going to happen to you," he said. Think-thank IBON Foundation earlier said a study done by University of Kitakyushu professor David Adam Scott showed employment programs involving foreign nurses and caregivers have resulted in trainees being forced to work long hours. "The Japanese government has also refused to guarantee minimum wage levels, while exorbitant fees of at least Y58,000 (P23,200) are deducted from the nurses' salaries every month," IBON said on its website. In September 2006, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi sealed the Jpepa which aims to facilitate and promote the free flow of goods, services and capital between the Philippines and Japan by eliminating tariffs on 80 percent of Philippine exports. - GMANews.TV