PH Embassy in London releases advisory on visa renewal, change

DFA Advisory
November 3, 2011

The Philippine Embassy in London wishes to advise all Filipinos intending to renew or change their entry/student/other visas to the same visa category or another visa category to transact only with duly licensed immigration consultants and/or solicitors.

The embassy has been receiving numerous complaints from Filipinos regarding their failed dealings with unlicensed immigration consultants and/or solicitors. Read more

PH Embassy in London issues advisory for senior care workers

DFA Advisory
November 3, 2011

The Philippine Embassy in London wishes to remind Filipino senior care workers that current British immigration guidelines require a minimum hourly wage of £7.02 for migrant senior care workers.

In 2008 and through efforts exerted by a multi-sectoral group, including the embassy, the British Government accommodated the request that the hourly wage rate of £7.02 would not be applied to senior care workers who started working in the United Kingdom (UK) prior to December 31, 2003. Read more

37 OFWs repatriated from Lebanon, majority defied deployment ban

Majority of the 37 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were repatriated Wednesday from Lebanon defied the deployment ban that government had imposed since 2007.

According to a Philippine Daily Inquirer report, only five were documented and deployed to Lebanon before the ban took effect. Most of the OFWs suffered from abuses in the hands of employers. Read more

Kabuhayan Para sa Kinabukasan summit to be held for OFWs

A conference to help overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families build a better future through entrepreneurship will be held on November 24 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, according to a news story in The Manila Bulletin.

Entitled “The 1st OFW and Family Summit 2011: Kabuhayan Para sa Kinabukasan,” this annual event is organized by Villar Foundation and Go Negosyo. Read more

Remittances reach US$1.7 billion in September

Remittances coursed through banks remained strong in September 2011 at US$1.7 billion, registering an 8.4% growth compared to the amount recorded a year ago, according to a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) press release.

The total amount remitted from January-September is $14.8 billion, which is 7.1% higher compared to the amount for the same period in 2010, said BSP Governor Amando M Tetangco, Jr. Read more

Baldoz urges nations to strengthen protection of migrants

Governments around the world, especially labor-receiving host nations, must share in the global collective effort to protect and uplift the welfare of vulnerable migrant workers, said labor chief Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz.

The receiving nations should align themselves with the international treaties or conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO), and promote and strengthen protective social and economic legislation to prevent abuses and ensure proper working conditions, said Baldoz, according to a Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) press release. Read more

ILO official cites PH efforts to protect domestic workers

An International Labor Organization (ILO) official said the Philippines serves as a shining light in the global initiative to ensure minimum standards for domestic workers and uplift one of the world’s most disadvantaged workers.

According to a Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) press release, Amy King-Dejardin, Chief Technical Adviser for Domestic Workers of the ILO’s Conditions of Work and Employment Programme, Social Protection Sector, cited the Philippines’ on-going efforts to ratify ILO Convention 189. Read more

PPUR among “provisional” New7Wonders of Nature

The Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) made it to the New7Wonders of Nature in the initial count made on November 11, according to the N7WN website.

This is a provisional list, since the final winners can still change, said the website, as the calculated votes are “now being checked, validated and independently verified.” Read more

POEA defers OFW deployment ban in 41 countries

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has deferred on Thursday the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) deployment ban in 41 countries that were previously certified by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) as non-compliant to the provisions for the protection of OFWs as stated in the Amended Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act (RA 10022).

According to POEA Governing Board Resolution (GBR) No. 8, Series of 2011, POEA is complying with DFA’s request for a 90-day reprieve on the implementation of the deployment ban that should have taken effect on November 18. Read more

Pinoy photographers win APEC photo contest

Filipino photographers topped the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)- sponsored photo contest in Honolulu on November 8, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said today in a press release.

Reynaldo C Mondez won first prize while Romeo B Doneza placed second in the competition with “Solar Energy Panels” and “World Wide,” respectively. Read more

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