POEA, OWWA set up help desks at NAIA for OFWs in ‘laglag bala cases’

Labor assistance counters dedicated to overseas Filipino workers, who may be caught in the alleged laglag bala extortion racket, have been set up at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) administrator Hans Cacdac said the POEA and the Overseas Workers' Welfare Administration have also offered temporary shelters and coordination with loved ones, employers, and government services for such OFWs.

“Mayroon tayong Labor Assistance Counter sa airport at sa NAIA 1, 2, and 3, kung saan handang magbigay ng assistance in case mayroong masangkot o maakusahan ng violation ng Republic Act 10591, which is 'yung Firearms Law para sa mga nakikitaan ng bala o ammunition,” said Cacdac in an interview with GMA News TV's “News To Go.”

Labor Assistance Counters are now available at Terminals 1, 2, and 3.

The assistance provided will include on-the-spot advice to help link OFWs to "immediate families, friends, recruitment agencies, or legal counsel."

The Philippine Overseas Labor Office in the worker's host country or destination will also be notified of the delay in the OFW's transit, along with the Department of Labor and Employment's International Labor Affairs Bureau.

“Kung may assistance na kailangang ibigay sa OFW in terms of communication with his employer sa abroad, agad rin kaming co-contact sa Philippine recruiter kung mayroon man, at sa Department of Labor and Employment para ma-contact naman 'yung labor attache on the team para makausap 'yung employer ng ating OFW in case may masangkot sa Firearms Law enforecement sa airport," Cacdac said.

Aside from OFWs caught in the alleged “laglag bala” scheme, assistance will also be given to overseas Filipino workers who are apprehended for bringing in bullets and ammunition as “anting-anting”

“Sinoman ang malagay sa sitwasyon, either maakusahan sila o mahanapan ng bala o ammunition, regardless as to whether dala talaga nila o mayroon silang defense na wala naman talaga silang dala pero posibleng mayroong naglagay o nag-plant ng bala,” Cacdac said.

Meanwhile, Cacdac said that the airport security system has improved over the past weeks in the middle of the fiasco brought by the alleged “laglag-bala” scheme, which has been causing worry in both local and foreign travelers.

“Over the weekend, we made the rounds sa airport and I was also a traveler last week coming in through the international airport. Para sa akin, patuloy ang conduct ng government services sa airport. Yesterday, I noticed na may CCTV cameras sa baggage screeners. Mayroong improvement in terms of how the government services would be delivered there,” he said. —NB, GMA News