Two lawmakers from the House of Representatives, Reps. Erwin Tulfo and Edvi Yap, have called on the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to ensure that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and seamen receive salaries and benefits comparable to their foreign counterparts.
They emphasized that the contracts signed by Filipino workers should reflect their skills and qualifications, as many have reported being underpaid compared to workers from other nationalities.
Tulfo highlighted that complaints about salary disparities have long been received by his office, urging the DMW to advocate for Filipino workers’ rights.
Yap added that the DMW should engage with manning and recruitment agencies to address this issue, which affects not only seafarers but also various land-based professionals.
The lawmakers plan to meet with DMW officials this week to further discuss the matter, sparked by recent reports of a Filipino seafarer seeking equal pay in The Netherlands.
Source: PhilNews24 | November 4, 2024
