Translation of Arabic documents

Press Release
4 March 2009

Translation of Arabic documents is employer and recruitment agency’s responsibility, not of OFWs – Migrante-ME

An alliance of overseas Filipino workers’ organization in the Middle East today twits POEA Administrator as she again misses the point of complaining OFWs requiring them to have their Arabic documents, such as visa and work permits, to be translated as part of the formalities required for their job placement abroad.

“POEA Admin. Manalili again misses the point of complaining OFWs bound for work in the Middle East; translation of their Arabic documents spells out additional charges to the already numerous fees and charges the government is collecting and imposing from our struggling OFWs on top of the placement fees being charged by their recruitment agency,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-ME regional coordinator.

Monterona however said translation of Arabic documents is needed so that the content of the documents would be known and could be checked and verified.

Monterona added if Manalili would sign a new memorandum requiring departing OFWs to have a translation of their Arabic documents, there should be no additional fees and charges to be collected from them because it is the agency and prospective employer’s responsibility, not of OFWs. “Like the Standard Employment Contracts in most of Middle East host governments are with English translation,” he added.

“But if the memorandum would allow accredited agency like the Office of Muslim Affairs (OMA) to do the translation and then impose an additional charges or fees, then OFWs and their families have all the rights to oppose such issuance,” Monterona added.

Monterona said OFWs are already overburdened by the numerous impositions of fees and charges. An aspiring OFWs should spent a minimum of Php.20,000 for his documentation and formalities aside form the placement fee which is usually equivalent to one-month of salary.

Monterona said every time the Arroyo administration, through DoLE, POEA, DFA, and OWWA, talks about OFWs protection, it would only means more imposition of charges and fees to struggling OFWs and their families.

“That’s why OFWs and families are already weary hearing Mrs. Arroyo talking about OFWs right and welfare because after such pronouncement, mind you, another round of fees and charges’ imposition would follow soon,” Monterona averred.

Migrante-ME ended saying Mrs. Arroyo and her political allies are all seasoned bureaucrat-capitali sts who longed to perpetuate in power by all means and whose sole aim is to enrich themselves at the expense of taxpayer’s money and nation’s wealth.

Reference: John Leonard Monterona
Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator
Mobile No.: 00966 564 978012