In a news release posted on the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) website, Robert Bassig, OWWA Region II director, said: “The challenge is still posted on undocumented OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) in different countries in the world… We therefore urge them to always follow proper procedure in going abroad.”
Bassig said undocumented OFWs will be subjected to arrest, court trial, and imprisonment if they are caught by foreign authorities.
He noted that undocumented workers abroad seek employment even though they only have tourist, and not work visas.
Some were directly hired by foreign companies without proper documents, he added.
“In the documents we have, there are countries where majority of OFWs are undocumented versus those who are documented,” he said.
He did not identify the countries.
According to the 2010 stock estimate of the Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO), out of 9.452 million OFWs, about eight percent or 704,916 Filipinos were not properly documented or were “irregular.”
Those without valid residence or work permits, or overstaying in a foreign country, were also classified as “irregular OFWs," the CFO said.
Philippines' Asian neighbor Malaysia topped the list of countries that had the most undocumented OFWs at 200,000.
It was followed by the United States, having some 156,000 improperly documented Filipinos.
“This (number of undocumented OFWs) is a great challenge to us, especially so that we are facing problems in countries having internal difficulties,” the OWWA director for Region II said.
He cited that undocumented OFWs were not easily convinced “to come home in times of forced repatriation” as they were afraid of losing their jobs.
The CFO identified the top 10 destination for OFWs as:
1. United States
2. Saudi Arabia
3. Canada
4. United Arab Emirates
5. Australia
6. Malaysia
7. Japan
8. United Kingdom
9. Hong Kong
10. Kuwait
Source: GMA News
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