Govt 'bankrupts' aspiring OFWs

[lawrence01]

Govt 'bankrupts' aspiring OFWs - report

ANGIE DE LARA, Migrant Watch

07/28/2008 | 08:40 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are being dried out before they can start to work abroad.

According to Migrante International, 76 signatures are needed for 76 documents before they can get their passport. These include Community Tax Certificate (CTC), barangay clearance, birth certificate, National Bureau of Investigation and police Clearance, among others.

Each document costs from P50 to P100 ($1.13 to $2.26 at an exchange rate of $1=P44.23) or more. An OFW shells out around P17,665 ($399 at an exchange rate of $1=P44.23) in government fees alone before being able to leave for abroad. The following table shows the breakdown.

**Click here to see full article: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/109904/Govt-bankrupts-aspiring-OFWs---report

[khirbz]

This only shows that even though its hard to apply abroad still many pinoy aspirants want to pursue their dreams to work abroad.

[gemini_star, BSN, RN]

Not to mention the long waiting time to get those papers done. It would take an average of 4 hours just to get my birth certificate at NSO. Another 4 hours to get it certified at the DFA and so on. Sometimes, you can accomplish only one paper a day and sometimes you have to go back. It's frustrating but can be done with patience.