Akbayan Partylist Representative Perci Cendaña on Monday called on the Philippine government especially the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to check on the status and condition of Filipinos deployed to South Korea as domestic workers under a recently launched pilot program in the country’s capital. The lawmaker expressed concern over a recent survey conducted by the Jeju National University on participants of the program, most of them Filipinos, were requested to take on tasks outside their job description while earning a salary often half the average earned by South Koreans. There are around 70,000 Filipinos living in South Korea.

“Syempre nakakabahala ang ganitong balita lalo na kung nangyayari ito sa isang highly developed na bansa na may sinusundang labor standards. Kahit sabihin nating pilot program ‘yan, hindi naman pwedeng trial-and-error din yung pagbigay ng tamang benepisyo at pasahod sa kanila. Sana agarang ma-check ng ating DMW yung kalagayan ng mga OFWs na naging part nitong program at kung may kailangang assistance na dapat ipaabot sa kanila at kanilang pamilya.”

Rep. Cendaña added, “We also hope that our government can forward these issues with their counterparts in the South Korean government for them to take the necessary action. Mabuting may ganitong uri ng pagbabantay sa karapatan ng ating mga OFWs lalo na’t may bagong seasonal worker program tayo with South Korea hiring Filipinos as farm workers,”

The pilot program was launched last September 2024 by the Seoul Metropolitan government to tackle a labor shortage of domestic workers. Rep. Cendaña stressed that proactive government oversight is crucial, especially during the early stages of any labor deployment scheme involving overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

He urged the government to also actively check on migrant workers, especially domestic workers: “Underpayment is one of the most common and persistent problems faced by migrant workers. We cannot assume compliance—we must actively check,” he said.

The Akbayan lawmaker emphasized that OFWs must be guaranteed that their employers will strictly adhere to the stipulations of their employment contracts, including wages, working hours, rest days, and access to grievance mechanisms. “Contracts are meaningless if they are not enforced. Our workers deserve clear assurances that what was promised to them on paper will be honored in practice,” Cendaña said.

Cendaña concluded by urging the DMW to release a transparent report on the status of the pilot program and to engage directly with the deployed workers. “Protecting OFWs means constant monitoring, accountability, and the political will to intervene when problems arise. Our migrant workers are not mere export products—mga kababayan natin silang dapat binabantayan ng ating pamahalaan,” he said.