Solon laments ‘prison-like' OFW accommodations

Senator Raffy Tulfo on Wednesday blasted the “prison-like” living conditions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) being accommodated in temporary houses in Metro Manila while waiting for their deployment abroad.

Tulfo slammed what he called “horrifying” and “shocking” accommodations for OFWs after visiting and inspecting several housing facilities earlier this week.

In inspecting these accommodations, Tulfo’s first stop was the holding house of Mondial Overseas Corporation Private Employment Agency in Quezon City.

Upon arrival, he was appalled by the cramped, prison-like conditions inside, where over 40 OFWs were squeezed into a small four-bedroom house, each room lacking double-deck beds.

He then lamented the lack of fire extinguishers, first-aid kits and fire exits in the accommodation.

Tulfo criticized a similar situation at another accommodation house in Zamboanga, Quezon City, where 40 OFWs were sharing the tight space with inadequate ventilation, no emergency exits and lacking double-deck beds.

“The water dispenser was empty, and a notice was posted on the refrigerator door prohibiting OFWs from cooling water or storing food,” the senator said.

He stressed OFWs should be taken care of well before their scheduled flight abroad as he raised the need to establish a prayer room not only for Catholics but also for non-Catholic OFWs — a request immediately supported by a Muslim OFW staying in the area.

Tulfo likewise expressed outrage seeing what he called “horrifying conditions” in another four accommodations operated by the MEJA International Manpower Agency Inc. in Paco, Manila.

“OFWs were packed together like sardines. Worse, only one of these accommodations was registered with the DMW,” said the lawmaker, who also cited complaints about overcrowding, a lack of proper ventilation and electric fans.

“What was even more appalling was the absence of tables and chairs in these accommodations, thus forcing the OFWs to eat on the floor,” Tulfo said.