PINOYWORLD | PINOY WORLD

House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo today called on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) “to beef up the personnel of RP embassies where Filipino workers abound to maximize protection for them.”

He made the call in view of the DFA proposal in its 2009 budget to open new embassies and consulates.

The proposed DFA budget for 2009 is P11.9 billion, up from this year’s P10.186 billion (15 percent).

The militant solon observes that “the DFA is not doing enough to help undocumented Filipinos in many states that have no where else to run but our diplomatic posts.”

“Various groups, including Migrante International, have estimates that there are at least 3 million undocumented Filipinos worldwide. There are high concentrations of our undocumented compatriots in the USA (1.6 million), Malaysia (500,000), Japan (300,000), various European states (150,000), and the Middle East (300,000). The DFA must have specifics in its budget on undocumented Filipinos since they are the frontline agency of government with regard to our overseas compatriots,” Ocampo said.

The DFA will open new embassies in Portugal, Ireland, Finland, Poland and Syria; and consulates will be in Macau, Chongqing and Chengdu in China this year.

“Currently, we have 67 embassies, three permanent missions to the United Nations, one permanent mission to the World Trade Organization, and 25 consulates general. But in countries where there are sizeable numbers of Filipinos like the United States, Italy, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and many other states, the DFA has a lot to work on especially on the plight of undocumented Filipinos,” Ocampo said.

“We understand that the DFA has only 2,690 personnel. With 8 million overseas Filipinos, that is a ratio of 1 DFA personnel for almost every 3,000 overseas Filipinos – that does not include our undocumented compatriots. Bayan Muna strongly recommends that the DFA beef up certain posts where there are large numbers of Filipinos. Logically, the DFA should add more people in Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Italy, Japan, and Malaysia, among others. In countries where there are less than 500 Filipinos, an honorary consul would initially suffice,” Ocampo said.

DFA personnel comprise only 0.24 percent of the 1.11 million government employees.

“We shall support the DFA if it starts efforts at reforming this apparent mismatch in prioritization and allocations,” Ocampo said.