Camille Naredo

Article (news)

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Nearly a dozen Filipinos were jobless and homeless in New Zealand, with some already living in container vans with the help from other Pinoys there after leaving their employers who supposedly did not give proper wages.Justine Aspa, who hails from Samar, said it seemed like their employers and the New Zealand government do not want to act on their situation.Aspa said he already left his work as a construction worker in New Zealand earlier this year after noticing some anomalies in his pay. Months after leaving, he has yet to receive his final pay. “Nagtatanong ang tao, bakit kulang ang sahod? Ang sagot ng employer namin diyan, ‘totoy ano yang nirereklamo mo?’ ‘Hindi magandang tanong yan.’” said Aspa during an online forum.“Sobra-sobra na ang paghihirap na dinanas namin,” he added.Aspa said it was cold at night and he already has several mosquito bites because of living in container vans for a couple of months.“Nakahiga kami sa paleta, pag nagde-deliver tayo ng mga bagay na mabibigat may mga paleta yan… yun ang temporary namin na higaan,” he said. “Maituturing ko na hulog ng langit yan kaysa sa mga sasakyan naman kami natutulog.”Mikee Santos, chairman of Migrante New Zealand, said these Filipinos might already be considered victims of human trafficking.“Ang problema pagdating dito, hindi naman kayang magbigay ng siguradong trabaho at matagalang trabaho… Yung employer, kung hindi kayang magbigay nang tamang trabaho, sahod, at pangmatagalang trabaho, in a sense niloloko niyo na lang ang mga kababayan natin,” said Santos.“Kung niloloko niyo sila from the very beginning, human trafficking na yan. Anything na you are moving persons in debt, may utang, may perang involved, at mayroon panloloko, classified human trafficking yan based on New Zealand settings,” he added. Phil Twyford, a Labour MP who attended the press conference, vowed to shut down the companies involved should they be proved to have committed these acts. &quot;This is a real problem we have in New Zealand right now. It is a stain New Zealand’s reputation… they are being treated in a very exploitative way by unscrupulous and corrupt employers and agents. It is simply not good enough,” said Twyford. Migrante International and Migrante New Zealand said they are already working with Philippine government agencies and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) to help the affected Filipinos to return to the country.

Justine Aspa, who hails from Samar, said it seemed like their employers and New Zealand government do not want to act on their situation.

Justine Aspa, who hails from Samar, said it seemed like their employers and New Zealand government do not want to act on their situation.

Nearly a dozen Filipinos jobless, homeless in New Zealand after 'exploitation'

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Nearly a dozen Filipinos jobless, homeless in New Zealand after 'exploitation'

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 27, 2024 05:41 PM PHT

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