Manila, Philippines—In light of the plight of our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), Verité is holding a free symposium on the recruitment process and working conditions of migrant Filipino workers in Japan, “Overseas Workers in Japan: Promises and Risks.” The symposium will take place on September 12 from 2:00PM to 6:00PM at the GT Toyota Building, Asian Studies Center in UP Diliman. The same symposium will also be held at the Kawasaki Hotel Nikko in Tokyo on September 28 for the OFW community, labor rights advocates, policymakers, and ethical employment practitioners in Japan.
The
symposium will begin with a viewing of the short documentary titled ”Ijū-sha: Reportage on Filipino Workers in Japan,” written and directed
by Harris Guevarra, that features overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their stories
of the hardships and opportunities they encountered abroad.
This will be followed by speeches and
remarks from known authorities and labor rights advocates. Among the speakers
is Vice President Leni Robredo,
known for her involvement in grassroots projects and community service, who
will share her views on migration.
After the speeches, the floor will be
opened for the symposium, where guests will be encouraged to participate in a
discussion of our OFWs’ respective situations and think of the ways they can
help the OFWs through the Philippines’ and Japan’s labor laws. Experts from Verité
and representatives from the government and NGOs will lead the discussion and lay
down frameworks for improved systems. Refreshments will be served after the
discussions and guests will have a chance to build networks and further discuss
the topic.
The event is expected to be a milestone
in the long battle to secure the rights of our fellow Filipinos working abroad
and ensure that they are earning the due benefits they are working for. Key
stakeholders and partners from the government, private sector, civil society,
and academe are encouraged to attend the event and discuss ways to minimize
risks and maximize benefits for our migrant workers.
IJŪ-SHA: ABOUT THE FILM
Ijū-sha
looks into the lives of our migrant Filipino workers in Japan through stories
from returned worker, a jobseeker, and a currently employed OFW in Japan. The
stories of Filipino migrant workers in Japan are told primarily by three women:
Rose, Cecile, and Sugar.
Their
personalities and lives differ from each other, but their stories of life as
workers and their aspirations and motivations for working abroad echo the same
struggle for livelihood, challenges brought about by foreign culture and laws,
and desire for a better future. Each storyteller shares her hardships, those of
which we’ve come to associate with working abroad. But these sacrifices also
come with hard-earned successes, unbridled happiness, and euphoric reunions.
The
documentary begins with the women sharing their reasons for wanting to work in
Japan. Some of them want to experience snow, while some of them want to work
with the Japanese because they know them to be kind and respectful people.
Cecile cites the most common, yet most important reason: “Nung 18 po ako, kaya
ko naisipan mag-Japan, dahil sa hirap ng buhay sa Pilipinas.” (When I was 18, I
thought of going to Japan because life in the Philippines is really hard.)
These women, like most OFWs, found Japan attractive because of the
opportunities it presented.
Cecile, who
worked as an entertainer, recounts how she was always amazed at her friend who
worked in Japan and always brought back to the Philippines many goods and
expensive jewelry. It was this friend who suggested that Cecile apply as a
performer in Japan. “Pagdating ko doon, excited akong maging singer, kinakanta
ko si Whitney Houston!” (When I got there, I was so excited to become a
singer—I kept singing Whitney Houston songs!) Cecile shared her excitement
then. But this excitement is soon
replaced by disappointment and apprehension when she realizes that the job and
place was not what she expected. The contracts, which should have been theirs
to read, were only read by their managers.
The
documentary investigates the exploitation of migrant workers and the unfair
treatments and abusive employment they endure. The documentary also features
key persons in the government and NGOs involved in the promotion of labor
rights and OFW welfare, as well as authorities in Japan: Danilo Navarro,
President of the Association of Philippine Licensed Agencies for Technical
Internship Program, Inc. (APLATIP); Rose Otero-Yamanaka, Director of Batis
Center for Women; Maria Luz Tolentino, Labor Attaché of the Philippine Embassy
in Japan; Takeshi Yumoto, CSR Supply Chain General Manager of Teijin; Ellene
Sana, Executive Director of the Center for Migrant Advocacy; Virgie Ishihara,
Director of the Filipino Migrant Center in Nagoya, Japan; Marie Apostol,
Director of FAIR Hiring Initiative and Founder of Verité Southeast Asia; and Takashi Ueno, entrepreneur and greenhorn
in the recruitment business.
These
social workers and government personnel illustrate the recruitment and
migration process and share the loopholes being exploited by agencies and
brokers. They also provide solutions and certain actions we can take to help
protect our migrant workers from exploitation, such as policy advocacy and
crisis intervention. Marie Apostol cites their projects “to demonstrate ethical
recruitment standards based on the Verité Manpower Ethical Framework for
cross-border recruitment.” All in all, they stress the important role of
legislative bodies, lobbyists, policy watchers, and labor authorities in
ensuring that our OFWs enjoy fair hiring processes, and safe and clear-cut
employment.
The
documentary closes with a reminder of why Filipinos seek jobs abroad. There are
opportunities in migration and finding work overseas. Writer and Director Harris Guevarra, who
followed and interviewed migrants in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka for the
documentary, said, “Ijū-sha is a candid glimpse into the lives of our OFWs in
Japan—a trunk line for our fellow Filipinos whose stories disappear into
language barriers and the vast ocean separating them from home.”
VERITÉ, LABOR RIGHTS, AND FAIR EMPLOYMENT
Since its
inception, Verité has been a staunch defender and promoter of labor rights.
Child labor, slavery, employment and workplace discrimination, unfair and
dangerous working conditions, and insufficient compensation or unpaid
work—these span the vast range of labor issues that the organization seeks to
solve.
For this
particular event, Verité wishes to shine a brighter light on the problems that
OFWs encounter, specifically in Japan where many of our fellow Filipinos go to
find work and experience their culture. The organization hopes that the closer
and intimate look into the experiences and dreams of our migrant workers, as
well as the discussions that will follow, will foster a deeper understanding of
the issue and spur other organizations and the government to action.
Ijū-sha,
the documentary that will be shown at the start of the event, was also done in
partnership with Verité. Daryll Delgado of Verité Southeast Asia believes that
the documentary is not only a window to look into the lives of OFWs in Japan,
but also a door of opportunity for us to take action on labor rights and
migrant worker welfare: “We are imploring viewers to listen and take to heart
the stories, lessons, and ideas imparted by the OFWs and labor rights advocates
we interviewed. This documentary should serve as both an eye-opener and an
inspiration for us to begin criticizing and improving our labor system.”
Lastly, the
symposium is not just an avenue for raising awareness and inspiring action, but
also for labor rights advocates to network and build partnerships with
like-minded individuals and organizations. Through this event, Verité hopes
that both Philippine and Japanese governments, along with other NGOs,
recruitment agencies, and labor rights advocates, will begin to work together
for the benefit of our OFWs today and in the future, as well as their families
in the home country.
