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Pinoy Abroad

CBCP exec urges govt to fight for religious freedom of OFWs


An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) urged the Philippine government to fight for the religious freedom of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), especially those in the Middle East. CBCP Commission on Pastoral Care for Migrants and Itinerant People executive director Fr. Edwin Corros made the call amid the imposition of religious restrictions by some of the OFWs' host countries. “We’ve noticed and based on the information we have received Europeans, Caucasians are being allowed to celebrate Mass in their embassies but not the Philippine government. That is now the question how come they are unable to negotiate this?" Corros said in an article posted on the CBCP news site. The CBCP cited an incident last December where 14 Filipinos were taken into custody in Saudi Arabia after being caught engaging in a prohibited “religious service." Conducting religious activities other than Islam is prohibited in Saudi Arabia and in most of the Middle-Eastern countries. Corros said the government should stand up for Christians and people of other religions. Defending the Filipinos' religious freedom is one way the government can support the OFWs and recognize their contribution to our country, he added. “Our government leaders must learn to negotiate as well for the protection and preservation of the cultural and religious rights of our OFWs when they sign a memorandum of agreement especially when they are deployed in countries that really relied on the important contribution of our people to these countries," Corros said. “The government should really negotiate for that because after all if the people are happy in expressing their religion, the more they can happily contribute to the nation building of the host countries," he added. – VVP, GMA News

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