OFW group launches “Crisis Hotline” for OFWs in Libya, Mid-East

Migrante International, worldwide alliance of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), today launched a “Crisis Hotline” for stranded Filipinos in Libya and other conflict-ridden areas in the Middle East and North Africa.

The “Crisis Hotline” can be reached through mobile number 0932-3995952 or email address menacrisiscenter.migrante@gmail.com. Messages may also be sent though Migrante International’s website, https://migranteinternational.org where an online complaint form may be accessed.

According to Migrante International chairperson Garry Martinez, they have set up the hotline because they continue to receive messages of distress and emergency from OFWs and their families who up to this day remain trapped in Libya and await immediate evacuation. All distress calls they receive will immediately be forwarded to the Department of Affairs (DFA) for immediate attention.

For OFWs in Libya, Martinez provided the following contact numbers of their affiliate groups based in the region:

Fr. Allan Archubeche – +218-925156684 – San Francesco Catholic Church, Caritas, Tripoli, Libya

Fr. Ronnie Asuero – +218- 928132184 – Banghasi, Libya

Martinez said that OFWs in workers’ camps have been complaining that they are ready to evacuate but have no idea where to go because of lack of information from the Philippine embassy. “They do not know where to proceed for evacuation, who to contact or what to expect from Philippine authorities. Kung susunduin ba sila o may mga sasakyan at eroplano bang naghihintay sa kanila? Hindi ito malinaw.”

He said that because of lack of information, some OFWs have resorted to braving the dangerous streets to get to terminals to exit posts. One contingent of workers, led by Gil Lebria, Migrante coordinator in Libya, opted not to wait anymore to be rescued by Philippine authorities for fear of being caught in the violence and decided to go straight to the airport. Their delegation is expected to arrive via Germany in the following days.

Below is the list of OFWs awaiting evacuation in Libya. The following have already been “accounted for” by Migrante’s affiliates in Libya:

While below is the master list of OFWs employed by the Aziziyah Project who until now have not yet coordinated with Migrante or any of its affiliate groups in Libya:

Martinez, together with families of OFWs in Libya, today went to the DFA to forward the names and locations of the stranded OFWs.

“OFW job fair” in EDSA celeb slammed

Meanwhile, Martinez slammed the Aquino administration’s “nerve and gall” for setting up an OFW job fair booth in today’s EDSA Anniversary celebration in light of the spate of rights and welfare cases that has hounded numbers of OFWs in the past few weeks.

He said that they fear that the 25,000 available jobs might be located in the Middle East.

“Lalo nang nakakagalit kung mapapag-alaman pa nating ang pinapamigay na mga trabaho ng gobyerno ngayon ay sa Middle East o sa North Africa kung saan grabe ang karahasan at kaguluhan. Wala na talagang iniisip ang gobyernong ito kundi pagbenta ng murang lakas-paggawa ng ating mga manggagawa kaysa sa kapakanan nila. They are the ones luring our Filipino workers to clear and present danger,” he said.

A job fair booth manned by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has been set up at today’s EDSA Anniversary celebration to give away jobs for aspiring OFWs.

“Ngayon pa nga lang hindi na maprotektahan ng maayos ang ating mga OFW, patuloy pa ring magpapalabas ng 25,000 pa sa halip na magbigay ng trabaho dito sa ating sariling bayan. EDSA pa man din pero walang pagbabago mula sa gobyerno,” Martinez said. ###