Church group to DOLE: Sanction ‘abusive’ RP attaché in HK

A Church group has joined the growing call to sanction a Philippine labor attaché assigned to Hong Kong, following the rapid spread of a recorded conversation where the official berated a distressed overseas Filipina worker (OFW). In a letter to Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) lambasted Labor Attaché Romulo Salud for failing to at least suggest a legal recourse for Agnes Tenorio, a domestic helper who was fired by her employer barely two hours after she arrived in Hong Kong. “(Salud) failed to suggest, much less provide, a legal recourse to Tenorio and instead agreed to immediate repatriation. His language was not only abusive but also inconsiderate. His inaction was irresponsible and insensitive. He must be sanctioned immediately," NCCP general secretary Rev. Rex Reyes Jr. said in his letter to Baldoz. Reyes said Tenorio’s plight brings to fore the abuses that overseas workers experience at the hands of various Filipino diplomats stationed worldwide. “For so long, thousands bore similar abuses in silence because it was always their muffled word against those working in these consulates and because of the more urgent need to survive," Reyes noted. The pastor urged Baldoz to personally attend to the case and to demand a “higher degree of accountability" from officials of Philippine consulates. “Considering the circumstances of having to leave family and country and the government’s high praises for the dollars they remit home, the least we can expect of Filipino consulates around the world is hospitality to its citizens," said Reyes. “It is a disgrace and a disservice for consulate leaders to bite the hands that feed them," he added. The NCCP, one of the country’s larger coalitions of mostly Protestant churches in the country, has been among the strongest advocates of respect for human rights, including labor rights and overseas Filipino workers’ rights. Tenorio’s plight In the recorded conversation that is now doing the rounds in the Internet, the voice of a man, allegedly that of Salud’s, can be heard berating a woman believed to be Tenorio. (See: Migrant groups slam HK labor exec for maltreating OFW) The conversation had gathered over 40,000 views on the video-sharing site YouTube just three days after it was uploaded. Tenorio reportedly sought help from the Philippine Consulate General after her employer illegally terminated her contract, barely two hours after she arrived at Hong Kong. Shocked and confused about her options, Tenorio initially said that she wanted to return to the Philippines, and Salud immediately agreed without advising her of her rights, according to the United Filipinos in Hong Kong (Unifil-Migrante-HK) and Mission for Migrant Workers (MFMW). However, Tenorio belatedly learned from other OFWs that she could file a case of illegal termination of contract against her employer and make a claim for her unpaid wages with the HK labor department, said Unifil-Migrante-HK. Tenorio reportedly went back to see Salud, who then scolded her for changing her mind. Spreads like wildfire In a separate statement, Unifil said that the recorded conversation has been spreading like wildfire in the OFW community in Hong Kong, which is one of China’s two special administrative regions. “The response of fellow OFWs and other concerned people in the Philippines was astounding," said Unifil chairwoman Dolores Balladares. “Their reactions ranged from sharing their own experiences of rude treatment [by] officials of Philippine posts abroad, to sympathy for Tenorio and anger for Salud," she added. “Tenorio is really not alone both in what has been done to her and in the desire to see justice served." According to Unifil, statistics they have gathered from news sites show that the recording is the most discussed topic under news and politics in Hong Kong this week, and the tenth most-discussed video in Hong Kong. It is also the 11th top-rated video in Hong Kong, the group added. Salud had earlier apologized for his words, saying it was a “wake-up call" for him, and that he did not intend to hurt Tenorio’s feelings. With some 100,000 workers deployed there, Hong Kong was the third top destination for OFWs in 2009, according to government records. The region is also the top destination for Filipino domestic helpers, with about 25,000 helpers deployed there last year.—Jerrie M. Abella/DM/JV, GMANews.TV