More than 3,000 Filipinos migrated to NZ in past year

The Philippines was the fourth largest source of migrants to New Zealand in the past year.

Statistics New Zealand last week released migration figures for the year to September 2009, which show that the net number of people moving to New Zealand to live there has reached a five-year high. Read more

Changes in employers’ obligations in Singapore

Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) reviewed the obligations placed on employers of foreign workers, and will be making changes to medical insurance requirements and the security bond.

MOM will increase the minimum medical insurance coverage to S$15,000 a year from $5,000 beginning January 1, 2010, according to news from the ministry. Read more

Legal aid for victims of illegal recruitment

Legal aid will be given to qualified poor overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who are victimized by illegal recruiters.

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Quezon City (IBP-QC) chapter will provide legal aid and assistance to OFW-victims after it signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Task Force Against Illegal Recruitment (TFAIR) last week. Read more

Japanese scholarship application deadline on Nov. 4

The Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC), Embassy of Japan, is still accepting applications for the Asian Youth Fellowship (AYF) Program for 2010 until November 4.

The AYF Program is one of the various scholarships offered by the Japanese Government. It aims to nurture human networking as well as to promote friendship and mutual understanding among Asian countries, according to the embassy. Read more

Climate map shows RP may have more typhoons

The Philippines may experience more typhoons, floods, droughts, heat waves and crop production shortage in the coming years, according to a climate map launched by the United Kingdom (UK) Government last Friday.

The new map illustrates the global consequences if the world fails to keep climate change to under 2 degrees Celsius, according to news from the British Embassy in Manila. Food shortage, disease and conflict as a result become very real possibilities. Read more

Pinoys begin peacekeeping duty in Golan Heights

The Philippine flag was raised for the first time over the Golan Heights in the Middle East on Friday as Manila formally established its peacekeeping presence.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the 1st Philippine Battalion will consist of 336 troops. They will be assigned in the southern sector of the United Nations-controlled zone, which has kept Israeli and Syrian forces apart since the end of the Arab-Israeli War in 1974. Read more

OFWs in KSA warned against text scams

The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh has issued a warning to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) on text scams that are victimizing more OFWs, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Based on information provided by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) of the Philippines, the modus operandi of the scammers involves sending text messages to OFWs saying that they won in an electronic raffle conducted by various government offices. Read more

Gov’t loan for OFWs with typhoon-damaged PUVs

Government activated a special financing facility for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) whose public utility vehicles or “PUVs”–used for the livelihood of their families in the Philippines–have been severely damaged by the recent typhoons.

According to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) news, Labor Secretary Marianito D Roque said that under the facility, the affected OFW families may avail of a P50,000 interest-free loan with a term of one year for the rehabilitation of the typhoon-damaged vehicle. Read more

To OFWs in KSA: Coordinate with embassy on donations for typhoon victims

The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh announced that it has not authorized any individual or group in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to solicit for the victims of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng in the Philippines.

According to news from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), several Filipino individuals and groups in the KSA are soliciting financial assistance from companies and establishments, claiming to have been authorized by the embassy to do so. Read more

RP advances better safety, competence standards for seafarers

The Philippines is advancing measures that provide for more trainings and better safety and medical standards to more than 300,000 overseas Filipino seafarers, according to news from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

The five country proposals benefitting Filipino seamen will be presented in the 41st International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Sub-Committee Meeting in London next January. IMO is the global body committed to the improvement of maritime safety worldwide. Read more

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