Continued Labor Export Policy Spells More OFWs in Death Row --- GWP Rep. Emmi De

“As the list of distressed OFWs continue to lengthen by the day, it is high time that the Philippine government reconsiders the lethal labor export policy. In death row or in jail, Filipino migrants are in very dangerous and vulnerable situations,” said GWP Rep. Emmi De Jesus as she joins hundreds of women who mourn with the family of a Filipino who is to be executed today, December 8, in China.


Based on Migrante’s monitoring, there are currently 125 OFWs in death row. Of the 125, 85 are drug-related and 79 of them are in China jails. The rest are in the Middle East, Malaysia and Thailand.


“Owing to budget cuts and missing OWWA funds, very minimal budget is left for our OFWs who sacrifice their lives to keep the country’s economy afloat. Direct services for OFWs also suffered cuts in the 2012 national budget, getting only a share of less than one percent of the P1.8 trillion 2012 national budget,” Rep. De Jesus added.


“We cannot stand by and wait for more OFWs to die under varying conditions in foreign soil. The women will continue to raise their united voices to call on the Aquino administration to eradicate joblessness and poverty that needlessly push Filipinos to leave their families in order to ensure that their children survive,” ended the Gabriela solon. Rowena Festin, Public Information Officer, Office of Representative Emmi De Jesus