OFWs in Europe vs hike in passport fees

By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 14:51:00 02/13/2009

MANILA, Philippines -- Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Europe, particularly in Italy, are protesting the increase in the cost of passport and other consular fees imposed by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the group Migrante-Europe said Friday.

In an e-mail sent to media outfits, Migrante-Europe's Alex Gregorio said protest actions are being planned against the increase, which he quoted the DFA as saying is due to the "drastic drop in the local currencies vis-à-vis the United States dollar."

DFA spokesman Bayani Mangibin agreed that foreign currency adjustment is one of the reasons for the effective increase, which was originally scheduled November 2008 but became effective January 2009.

Quoting Philippine Ambassador to Italy Philippe Lhuillier, Mangibin said the other reason for the effective increase is the increased cost of the machine readable passport, the new travel document required by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

The DFA spokesman said that compared to the embassies of other Asian countries, the cost of Philippine passports is lower.

Gregorio said the protest actions are being spearheaded by the Lampada-United OFWs in Italy. He said various Filipino groups from Rome, Milan, Bologna, Firenze, and Mantova will meet toward the last week of the February to further firm up the plans to pressure the
Arroyo government and the DFA to repeal the memorandum that effectively raised consular services of Philippine diplomatic posts in Europe.

He said other Filipino groups in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, and The Netherlands are also studying the new increases.

In an open letter to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Lampada-United OFWs in Italy called the increase "arbitrary, anomalous, undemocratic and unjust since we were not informed neither consulted prior to its approval."

The OFWs in Italy also said the recent increases have further aggravated their financial situation, given the uncertainties and other effects of the global financial crisis.

"Massive layoffs and financial losses among our Italian employers have led to the loss of our jobs, reduction of working hours and increased our vulnerabilities. Added to this is the rising cost of living while our salaries remained the same," they said.

The OFW s in Italy also said the current government is planning to impose a new tax on migrant workers of between 50 and 200 euros when they renew their permit to stay.

"But what is worst is the situation of undocumented OFWs who have been penalized as criminals under the Bossi-Fini Law and exacerbated by the 2008 Security Program Measure of the Berlusconi government," they added.

The group also demanded that the DFA take measures to protect compatriots, particularly the undocumented against the Bossi-Fini Law, the Security Package Measures of the Berlusconi government, and the Europe Return Directive, which are "directed against the undocumented migrants leading to their criminalization and deportation."