Amid the global economic crisis
Villar boosts his helpline in the wake of increasing OFW distress calls

INUNDATED with calls from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in distress, Sen. Manny Villar has decided to boost the capacity of his helpline system dedicated to the migrant workers affected by the deepening global economic crisis.

The Nacionalista Party president has earlier set up the OFW helpline in his personal and voluntary capacity to give an avenue for the beleaguered OFWs to make known their predicament for timely assistance.

Villar said, "Lalo pang dumarami ang tumatawag sa amin, at lalo ko pang pinalawak ang aking programa. Marami pa kaming papauwiin at tutulungan sa iba't ibang pamamaraan, siguro dahilan ito sa global crisis. Marami sa ating mga kababayan ang nawawalan ng trabaho sa ibang bansa at pinauuwi na dito, kaya ako ay nanawagan sa ating gobyerno na dapat palakihin ang programang ito at dadami pa itong may mga ganitong problema."

"Sa aking panig naman, lubos ko nang pinalawak ang aking helpline, at halos dito nauubos ang aking oras sa pagtulong sa mga OFWs na nangangailangan, the former Senate President said.

The dedicated cellular phone number 09174226800, which used to be an ordinary line, is currently equipped with a high-performance capacity allowing scalability, providing for fully hybrid ports for the combination of multi-types of terminals, and supporting the integration of voice and data.

It has been receiving over 2,000 text messages and over 30 calls a day, aside from e-mails, snail mails and personal visits. To manage the influx, Villar had to increase the number of his helpline staff.

The helpline now also has a voice-response system for the handling of diverse incoming calls during influx, allowing voice messages to be recorded and saved in the inbox of the helpline's e-mail address ([email protected]). Landline no. 7224727 (loc. 200/201/202) is also now available for the distressed workers.

In anticipation of the effects of recession to OFWs, Villar said, "We need to prepare our OFWs about the possibility that they may be subjected to such attitude or treatment that can be described as "recessionary racism," and those who have experienced such should inform our labor offices."

Many OFWs have been retrenched and suffered pay cuts as their employers abroad started to feel the adverse impact of the global economic tumult. On Jan. 31, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration reported 5,221 displaced OFWs in 15 countries who have returned home since the crisis worsened in September 2008. It also listed over 270 retrenched OFWs in five countries who are awaiting deployment because of establishment closures in host countries.