MANILA, Philippines - The House of
Representatives has approved on second reading seeking to grant and increase
protection of the Overseas Filipino Workers against the very alarming
exploitation. The measure is intended to secure and strengthen the foundation
of laws constituting the rights of workers. The committee on revision of laws
chaired by Pangasinan Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas
sponsored for plenary approval House Bill 4828, which amends Article 21 of Executive Order 209, otherwise known as the Family Code of the Philippines. The bill also requires the foreigners for additional requirements before marrying Filipino women.
sponsored for plenary approval House Bill 4828, which amends Article 21 of Executive Order 209, otherwise known as the Family Code of the Philippines. The bill also requires the foreigners for additional requirements before marrying Filipino women.
“The
bill shall protect Filipino women against exploitation of foreigners who marry
without evident means to support a family,” Primicias-Agabas said.
Cebu Rep.
Gwendolyn Garcia, one of the authors of the bill, said some of the foreigners
coming to the country in order to marry Filipino women are “vagabonds or social
and moral derelicts in their own country.”
“The real motive for marriage is
only to take advantage and exploit our women by making them work for the family
and worse, by sending them to prostitution and other degrading and dehumanizing
occupations,” Garcia said.
“The exploitation of our Filipino women, through the
so-called mail-order or pen-pal, Facebook, website-made and other Internet-made
marriages, has not only caused untold miseries and suffering to our Filipino
women but it has also brought dishonor and disgrace to Filipino womanhood,” she
added.
Under the measure, the prospective foreign
husband shall provide a certificate of good moral character and a certificate
that he has a gainful trade, business, employment or other lawful source of
income to be issued by his country’s diplomatic or consular official, in
addition to the usual certificate of legal capacity. The co-authors of the said
bill are Reps. Henry Oaminal of Misamis Occidental, Ibarra Gutierrez III
(Akbayan party-list), Nicasio Aliping Jr. (Baguio City), Rodel Batocabe (Ako
Bicol party-list), Silvestre Bello III (1-BAP party-list), Al Francis Bichara
(Albay), Arthur Defensor Jr. (Iloilo), Evelina Escudero (Sorsogon), Elisa Kho
(Masbate) and Roman Romulo (Pasig City).
