COMPLAINANTS. Some of the 383 Filipino fishers who sought the help of the Department of Migrant Workers against Buwan Tala manning agency which allegedly mistreated them. The DMW said Monday (Oct. 7, 2024) that it canceled the agency’s license for non-payment of agreed wages and inhumane treatment of the fishers. (Photo courtesy of DMW)
MANILA – The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) canceled the license of a local manning agency for allegedly exploiting over 300 fishers deployed overseas.
Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a press conference on Monday that the DMW is preparing legal actions against Buwan Tala Agency.
A total of 383 fishers filed a complaint against Buwan Tala before the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau in June, claiming that it violated their employment contracts.
The complainants said they did not receive the salaries stipulated in the contract, supposed USD550 (about PHP30,000) per month.
They boarded fishing vessels from Singapore.
“Many of them said they did not receive the agreed monthly salaries,” Undersecretary Bernard Olalia said.
Aside from non-payment of agreed salaries, the fishers complained of indecent accommodation in the vessels. Some were given expired canned food.
“’Yung WiFi na ginagamit nila ay binabawas pa sa sweldo (The WiFi connection that they used were even charged against their salaries),” Olalia said.
Aside from legal aid, the Filipino fishers also received financial assistance from the AKSYON (Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFWs na Nangangailangan) Fund and livelihood aid under the DMW reintegration programs.
"This wayward recruitment agency recruited fishers who were exploited and they abused their rights, violated by their fishing operator," Cacdac said. (PNA)
