DMW: Korea caregiver pilot program for Pinoys under assessment

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Wednesday said the six-month pilot program that deployed 100 Filipino caregivers to South Korea was under assessment after two of them failed to report back to work.

According to a DMW statement, the two Filipino women were unable to return for duty after holiday break on their first month of employment.

According to a "24 Oras" report by Mariz Umali on Wednesday, the two caregivers claimed that they had difficulties due to alleged overwork.

“May nakita silang isang trabaho na isang nag-offer ng employment as a cleaner. So kaya doon sila nahuli, doon sa panibago nilang employer. So nung nahuli sila, dinala po sila sa immigration authority sa Busan,” said DMW Undersecretary for Licensing and Adjudication Bernard Olalia.

(They were able to find another job offering employment as a cleaner. So that was where they were caught, with their new employer. They were brought to the immigration authority in Busan.)

The caregivers are now under the custody of Busan immigration authorities for investigation and will be receiving legal assistance from the DMW.

The department said it would make the corresponding adjustments to inform and prepare Filipino caregivers before their departure.

Filipino caregivers, meanwhile, are continuing to fulfill their current contract obligations under the pilot program, the DMW said.

The department is also coordinating with the Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) to improve the program and support Filipinos during the adjustment period.

"It's a pilot program and we expect certain challenges, issues, and problems along the way, which are now being carefully addressed by both sides. 'Yun ang kagandahan ng longstanding bilateral labor relationship between Korea and the Philippines (That is the beauty of the longstanding bilateral labor relationship between Korea and the Philippines). We are equipped to address these issues and concerns as we have for the last 20 years from the Employment Permit System," said DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac.

Nonetheless, Cacdac said the absence of the two caregivers was an isolated incident that would not affect the program. He added that the Philippines is now in coordination with the Korean MOEL to address issues in relation to the program.

“Medyo nakaantala in the sense na we have to go through the process na iimbestigahan natin yung dalawa. In terms of timeline, hindi natin masasagot pa kasi hindi pa natin alam kung kailan matatapos yung kanilang investigation,” added Olalia.

(There are some delays in the sense that we have to go through the process of investigating the two. In terms of timeline, we cannot answer because we do not know when their investigation will end.)

The caregivers will be provided legal and financial assistance from the DMW Action Fund for Distressed Workers in case of deportation.— Jiselle Anne Casucian/ VDV, GMA Integrated News