Legal fund for OFWs to be fully restored in 2012 — solon

The Philippine government is fully restoring the legal assistance fund for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the 2012 budget, following the heat that came after Malacañang cut it by nearly half last year. In a statement issued on Friday, Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas said P30 million has been allotted to the fund in the proposed General Appropriations Act, keeping it at P100 million as mandated by the Migrant Workers Act of 1995. The assistant majority leader added that the increased allocation for legal assistance is important because more Pinoy workers are braving foreign countries. Statistics from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) show that 1,470,826 Pinoy workers were deployed last year, a four-percent increase from the numbers in 2009. “We are counting on the [fund] to extend ample legal protection to the growing number of OFWs coming into conflict with the law in their respective host countries," said Gullas, who is also part of the House committee on appropriations. Budget cut For the 2011 budget, the Palace chopped down the allocation for the fund from P50 million to P27 million— a move opposed by some representatives. “These are instances when we can show that congressional insertions are vital and necessary especially for our OFWs. They send us $17 billion in remittances, why should be deprive them of assistance?" argued Nueva Viscaya Rep. Carlos Padilla during last year’s budget hearing for the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). In his opening statement, former Foreign Affairs secretary Alberto Romulo said they agreed to the Budget and Management department’s decision “to cut our budget by almost 40 percent," in support of President Benigno Aquino III’s austerity program. Legal assistance fund The DFA uses the fund to help detained OFWs by paying for lawyers, bail, “and other costs associated with going to court." According to law, the fund should be formed by: