Helpline formed to help TNT Pinoys abroad

Overstaying Filipinos abroad or the so-called Tago nang Tago (TNT) will hopefully be able to return to the country and thereafter legalize their stay in a specific foreign country with the help of an organization’s helpline aptly named “Dial Hope."

Fred Dizon, chairman and chief operating officer of the Unison League of Organizations Inc. (ULO), said they established “Dial Hope" to be able to help Filipinos who, despite their best intentions to earn for their families, have been on the run from immigration authorities abroad.

Dizon said TNTs or overstaying Filipinos can call their hotline at (612) 863-8992 and 639205144186 or e-mail them at dialhope1@yahoo.com to tell them about their situation.

“They have to explain to us what happened to them pero walang bayad yun (but they don’t have to pay for that), it’s just a matter of trusting us," he said.

After evaluating the case, he said they will draft a time table for the whole process – from the negotiation with immigration officials, processing of exit visa, return to the country, and the processing of their return visa as official migrants or immigrants.

The ULO chairman said their lawyer colleagues in Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Canberra), Canada (Vancouver and Montreal), and the US (San Francisco and Las Vegas) will then help the TNT “bargain" with immigration authorities.

“Pag may prison term, hindi namin sila isusurrender, di rin makukuha ng immigration sa amin yung address nila (If there is a prison term, we won’t surrender them, we also won’t give their address to the authorities)," he said.

But if they are successful, Dizon said the Filipino will only be asked to pay a fine for overstaying and will be asked to exit the country and enter again through the legal channels.

He did, however, clarify that the clients have to pay the fine themselves, plus the processing of their documents. They will only provide the assistance and service, he said.

Dizon said they have only been able to help about 13 people since they have only been informing people about their existence through word of mouth.

“Hindi naman marami ang natutulungan naming pero para sa akin, makatulong lang ng isa o dalawa, ok na yun (We haven’t been able to help a lot of people but for me, it’s enough to be able to help one or two of them, that’s enough)," he said.

The ULO is a migration consultancy firm that has been existence for more than 10 years. “Dial Hope," on the other hand, has only been operating for a little over a year.

In 2007, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas placed the number of Filipinos abroad at 8.7 million – 900,023 of whom are said to be “irregular," meaning those who are not properly documented or who have been overstaying in a foreign country. - GMANews.TV