Group wants contract substitution in ME probed

A militant labor group on Saturday expressed concern over the rising cases of contract substitution among Overseas Filipino Workers in the Middle East (ME), and called on the incoming administration to investigate reported cases. Contract substitution involves replacing an OFW's contract with a new one – usually with lower salaries, longer working hours, watered down benefits among others, Migrante-Middle East Regional Coordinator John Monterona said in a statement. Monterona said almost 30 to 50 percent of cases of abuse reported to Migrante Middle East involve contract substitution, and some seven to 10 cases reported daily. OFWs are forced to sign the new contracts, under threats of termination if they refuse to do so, Monterona said. “Many have told us that they have been forced to sign a new set of contracts before their departure at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, while others said upon their arrival on the job site facilitated by the counterpart agency of the deploying agency in the Philippines," he said. He also accused some officials of the Department of Labor and Employment and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) of conniving with recruitment agencies allowing contract substitution. He, however, did not elaborate on this. Monterona said the Aquino administration should start investigating these cases, and subsequently bar employers proven to have forced their workers to sign these contracts. — Nikka Corsino/LBG, GMANews.TV