New travel rule for Filipinos in Dubai scored

A migrants’ rights group has scored the Philippine post in Dubai for enforcing a new travel rule requiring overseas Filipino workers (OFW) to issue an affidavit of support for visiting relatives. The new travel regulation, initiated by the Philippine Bureau of Immigration and implemented on August 14, requires Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates to get a declaration of sponsorship or affidavit of support for visiting families and relatives. The document, which will be notarized at the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, costs about P1,000 In a statement, Migrante International slammed the policy, which they describe as an added burden to OFWs in UAE. “Why is the Philippine Consulate imposing this requirement when it is not even required by the Dubai government? It is an added cost and inconvenience to our OFWs," said Migrante chairperson Garry Martinez. According to Martinez, the new requirement is just another money-making scheme by the government, especially in light of the coming Christmas season. “Mukhang panibagong porma na naman ito ng kotong sa ating mga OFW (It appears this is yet another form of extortion against OFWs), especially now that the holiday seasons are approaching and relatives are expected to visit," he said. Protection, not burden In a report by UAE-based Khaleej Times, however, Consul General Benito Valeriano said the new measure was aimed at protecting Filipinos against illegal activities such as human trafficking. “It is the duty of government to protect its people. Sponsors should not look at this requirement as a burden but as an effort by government to ensure someone is responsible for holders of tourist or visit visas when they reach UAE," the article quoted Valeriano as saying. He added that through the new process, the Consulate uncovered illegal activities by some Filipino workers who sponsor friends, relatives and even strangers in exchange for a fee. “Through this process, I discovered a lot of illegal travel agents. Affidavits which will be presented at the airport upon departure of tourists or holders of visit visas have become a business for some groups of people who sponsor for money," Valeriano explained in the same article. “In the past, anyone could just present any affidavit of support at the Immigration without going through the notarization process at the Consulate. And when the visitor gets here, he applies for work in violation of the deployment procedures of the Philippine government and the labour laws of UAE," he added. Martinez, however, said preventing illegal entry of Filipinos to UAE must not translate to added costs for OFWs, whom he said are already burdened by existing fees for processing their overseas employment. “That is their job and they have to accomplish it without any extra expense imposed on our OFWs," said Martinez. Budget cut He added the imposition is not welcome news in light of the P2-billion budget cut for the Department of Foreign Affairs for 2011. Under the budget proposed by the Aquino administration, only P27 million will be allocated for the DFA’s legal assistance fund (LAF), which is used to provide legal services to migrant workers and overseas Filipinos in distress, such as hiring foreign lawyers, paying for bail bonds for the temporary release of detained workers, and shouldering court fees and charges and other litigation expenses. The P27-million allocation is just a quarter of what the amended Migrant Workers' Act provides for LAF allotment. The new travel policy, according to the Khaleej Times report, likewise resulted in a surge of Filipinos queuing daily at the Consulate to have their documents notarized. Filipino applicants have complained of long lines, slow processing and lack of enough Consulate personnel to attend to their papers. - KBK, GMANews.TV