The United Filipino Seafarers (UFS) on Thursday aired support for the proposed bill of a Cavite congressman that gives overseas Filipino workers, particularly seamen, the choice of their preferred Pre-Employment Medical Examination (PEME), an important document for them to be deployed for their seafaring career.

Agimat Partylist Representative Bryan Revilla, Chairperson ng Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs (COWA), on 12 February, filed House Bill No. 7788 or PEME for OFWs Act.

The bill prohibits forcing OFWs to only go to their company's accredited PEME clinics, and forbids excessive prices, repeated or unnecessary medical tests.

Various seafarers, during a hearing last year at the Senate, sought the help of Senator Raffy Tulfo after they suffered abuse from medical clinics because of “confirmatory tests”.

In response to the said problem, Tulfo directed the Department of Migrant Workers to take action as soon as possible.

In line with the directive of the said senator, the DMW immediately announced free annual medical check-ups for OFWs using the Aksyon Fund.

The DMW also plans to have a Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Health to intensify monitoring of clinics providing PEME.

Among those who attended the said hearing was UFS President Judy Domingo, who submitted their position and proposal for the PEME Bill, which aims to give seafarers the freedom to choose the clinic for their PEME.

“No company should reject the Fit-to-Work certificate of a seafarer, even if it is not from their company's 'accredited' clinic, as long as the said Fit-to-Work certificate is from a DOH-accredited facility,” she said.

Domingo said this will also help seafarers in remote provinces to go to Manila for their PEME.

“Bagama’t hindi pa ito pinal, at dadaan pa ito sa mahabang proseso, umaasa kaming sa ilalim ng panukalang batas na ito, magkakaroon na ng kasagutan para sa mga marinong lumalapit sa amin na nagsasabing fit-to-work sila sa isang medical clinic, ngunit dahil lamang sa hindi iyon ang accredited clinic ng kanilang kumpanya ay hindi tinatanggap ang kanilang fit-to-work certificate,” according to Domingo.

“Isinusulong po natin sa pagsuporta natin sa panukalang batas na ito, na maprotektahan ang ating mga marino, mula sa pangaabuso at hindi sila maging gatasan ng mga mapang-abusong medical clinics. Lubos po kaming nagpapasalamat kina Cong. Bryan Revilla at Cong. Felimon Espares para sa suporta nila sa ating mga marino sa pamamagitan ng bill na ito,” she maintained.