Safe sex or no sex for outbound Pinay workers
FIDEL JIMENEZ, GMANews.TV
05/02/2009 | 05:56 PM
MANILA, Philippines - Filipina overseas workers about to be deployed abroad are advised to refrain from sexual activity at least two months prior to their departure or face repatriation upon arrival in the Middle East if found to be pregnant in their destination countries.
In a recent meeting with a group of agencies deploying OFWs to the Middle East, Dr. Rodolfo Punzalan, president of GCC Accredited Medical Clinics Association Center (GAMCA), said cases of repatriated female OFWs top the list of repatriated workers due to illness, diseases and pregnancies.
Punzalan requested the agencies deploying female workers to take all necessary precautions and give warnings to the female workers to be celibate for two months and sacrifice romantic interludes with their husbands or boyfriends to avoid “unwanted" pregnancies.
"If sexual activity cannot be restrained then safe sex should be practiced with the use of condoms or during the infertile or safe periods. This is no guarantee of course however the chances of pregnancies is diminished with the use of a condom," Punzalan said in a statement.
The rising number of cases of female workers being repatriated is a cause for alarm for the Gamca clinics. The GCC Health Ministries has imposed US$2,000 fine for Gamca clinic members for every repatriated Pinay OFW due to negligence on their part in the medical examination for the OFW.
However, Punzalan said that in all cases of pregnant workers returning they will investigate thoroughly the worker and the agency involved to ferret out the truth on when and where the worker had any sexual activity before departure.
“Oftentimes some workers even on the day of departure cannot control themselves and initiate sex with their partners," he said.
According to the doctors present in the meeting, pregnancies cannot be detected by a mere blood or urine tests one or two days before departure so every precaution like a pre-departure exam is given to female workers. The pregnancy becomes a reality within five weeks and this is the time physical and emotional signs arise start for the worker.
"So the final word is control yourself or return to the Philippines pregnant dashing your hopes and dreams to work abroad and uplift your family with your sweat and tears. Remember to be celibate before leaving so you can reap the benefits of your work abroad," he said. - GMANews.TV
In a recent meeting with a group of agencies deploying OFWs to the Middle East, Dr. Rodolfo Punzalan, president of GCC Accredited Medical Clinics Association Center (GAMCA), said cases of repatriated female OFWs top the list of repatriated workers due to illness, diseases and pregnancies.
Punzalan requested the agencies deploying female workers to take all necessary precautions and give warnings to the female workers to be celibate for two months and sacrifice romantic interludes with their husbands or boyfriends to avoid “unwanted" pregnancies.
"If sexual activity cannot be restrained then safe sex should be practiced with the use of condoms or during the infertile or safe periods. This is no guarantee of course however the chances of pregnancies is diminished with the use of a condom," Punzalan said in a statement.
The rising number of cases of female workers being repatriated is a cause for alarm for the Gamca clinics. The GCC Health Ministries has imposed US$2,000 fine for Gamca clinic members for every repatriated Pinay OFW due to negligence on their part in the medical examination for the OFW.
However, Punzalan said that in all cases of pregnant workers returning they will investigate thoroughly the worker and the agency involved to ferret out the truth on when and where the worker had any sexual activity before departure.
“Oftentimes some workers even on the day of departure cannot control themselves and initiate sex with their partners," he said.
According to the doctors present in the meeting, pregnancies cannot be detected by a mere blood or urine tests one or two days before departure so every precaution like a pre-departure exam is given to female workers. The pregnancy becomes a reality within five weeks and this is the time physical and emotional signs arise start for the worker.
"So the final word is control yourself or return to the Philippines pregnant dashing your hopes and dreams to work abroad and uplift your family with your sweat and tears. Remember to be celibate before leaving so you can reap the benefits of your work abroad," he said. - GMANews.TV