Senator Joel Villanueva said that the government must intensify and expand the implementation of reintegration programs for the smooth transition of OFWS back to the country.
He said training provided by TESDA, among other interventions, must be readily provided for OFWs who look to update and retool their skills to become more employable or to seek a new venture through entrepreneurship.
Aside from TESDA, he also called the attention of the Department of Labor and Employment to strengthen its coordination with different industries to determine the prevailing labor demand, so our government can help match their demand for employment.
“Matching the needs of the labor market is an effective way to reduce the unemployment in the country,” said Villanueva, who chairs the Senate labor committee.
He noted that the way that the government have been treating our workers, especially the returning OFWs, falls short of how it heralds them as our “bagong bayani.”
“We don’t leave our heroes begging on the streets and making them wait until they drop dead of hunger or depression.,” he said
These deaths, he said, are avoidable if only the government extended more compassion on the plight of our OFWs and acted with dispatch and a sense of urgency.
“We implore our agencies to empathize with our OFWs. Let us not dismiss those taking their chance by camping out at bus stations and airport terminals because they long to be with their families, especially in these troubled times. “
Villanueva said the plight of OFWs and the government’s response are among the topics that will be discussed in the upcoming Senate labor Committee hearing.