A resolution urging the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Overseas and Labor Office in Hong Kong to come up with immediate measures for the protection of the rights and welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers in Hong Kong or in any other countries in the world, was passed by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod yesterday.

Authored by Councilor Sonya Verdeflor, the resolution said the OFW’s, especially domestic helpers in Hong Kong, who underpin the city’s economy by taking care of children and the elderly relatives of working parents in the said territory, are now put in a very vulnerable situation due to the hysteria over the Aug. 23, 2010 hostage siege in Manila that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead.

The resolution said news items went out that after the incident, tens of thousands marched and gathered Sunday at an urban park in Hong Kong led by about 20 Hong Kong legislators in honor of the eight victims, denouncing the Philippine government for botching the rescue operations and demanding justice for the dead.

It said there were concerns aired that local anger could boil over and that some 120,000 Filipinos working as live-in domestic helpers for Hong Kong families could face a backlash.

Although there had been no confirmed reports of harassment of physical abuse, Filipinos in Hong Kong said they are now worried to be living in a Chinese community as they had been warned to stay away from Chinese crowds, the resolution added.

Verdeflor is chairman of the SP Committee on Labor and Management and Overseas Workers.*CGS

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