Rep. Marissa Magsino of the OFW party-list has sought an inquiry into the recruitment and deployment of seasonal Filipino workers to South Korea due to reported labor violations.
The workers have been deployed under a “Local Government Unit to Local Government Unit (LGU to LGU)” arrangement between the Philippines and South Korea.
In filing House Resolution 1343, Magsino explained that under the existing partnership between LGUs in the Philippines and LGUs in the Republic of Korea, the “Foreign Seasonal Workers Dispatch Program” selects seasonal agricultural workers from Philippine LGUs for deployment in partner LGUs in Korea.
However, concerns have arisen regarding the working conditions and treatment of these Filipino seasonal workers in Korea.
Magsino said there have been reports of occasional provision of decent meals, undesirable lodging facilities that violate contractual terms, excessive work hours, and allegations of inhumane treatment.
She said foreign seasonal workers are allowed to work in fruit, vegetable and fishing farms for 3 to 5 months, provided they are under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between local government units.
The program includes provisions for housing and basic needs, as well as the supposed guarantee of labor and human rights for the workers during their employment.
“During our town hall meeting with leaders of the Filipino Communities in South Korea last June 2023, we were informed of labor standard violations against seasonal workers. And since the program stems mainly from LGU-to-LGU agreements, the implementation system does not go through the stringent screening of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW),” Magsino said.
The party list lawmaker also pointed out that “while the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and DMW have confirmed their knowledge of the existence of the seasonal workers program, and while DILG has reported the participation of forty six (46) Philippine LGUs in the program, there is no issued guidelines by any of the agencies concerned to govern the deployment of Filipino seasonal workers under the program, nor any clear-cut delineation of functions and responsibilities among them, which are critical to preclude and address abuses committed against the Filipino workers.”