Despite counseling, advocacy, and other efforts conducted by the government to discourage Filipinos from going to Malaysia without proper documentation, the number of deportees continues to increase year after year. This was reported by Field Office IX of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Filipino deportees from Malaysia stated several reasons that compel them to return to Sabah, Malaysia despite the virtual ban that has been imposed by the Malaysian government.

“It is essential for us to understand the reason why the number of deportees continue to increase every year despite the many efforts of the government and  Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). If we don’t, we only diagnose the symptoms and end up implementing  incorrect or even when they are correct, they are at best temporary solutions. We should not ignore the  main reasons why Filipinos go to Sabah – they are mostly economic in nature. There are many undocumented Filipinos in Sabah because they think they are better off there than in the Philippines.  They believe that they have better livelihood opportunities in Sabah, ” DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo said.

For instance, many of the Filipinos who have been recently deported say that they have their families in Sabah, so they really make efforts to go back to be reunited with them.

Others, in the meantime, find it difficult to find employment opportunities in the Philippines because they lack employable skills and have low educational attainment.

Another factor is the inability of some local government units (LGUs) in their area to make community-based programs work for the deportees.

While difficulty to obtain a passport continues to be a hindrance for Filipinos when it comes to their need to be legally documented, the most needed documents such as birth certificates are not readily accessible. Most deportees, too, do not have the financial capacity to cover expenses to secure the documents they need to obtain a passport.

“As the Malaysian Government steps up its actions to deport undocumented Filipinos back to the Philippines via Zamboanga, the Philippine Government has been coordinating efforts of  its different agencies and departments including the DSWD to assist the estimated arrival of 7,000 Filipinos,”  Bernard Bonina, Social Welfare Attache to Malaysia said.

The Task Force Deportees was convened February 8, 2017 where 20 government and non-government organizations met to initially discuss issues pertaining to the deportation.

On the part of the DSWD, it has organized core teams of social workers to assist deportees from Malaysia as well as to assist the Reception Team in Zamboanga City.

Through  DSWD- Field Office IX, the Processing Center for Displaced Persons (PCDP) has been responding to the needs of Filipino deportees since 1995. The PCDP is a center created to primarily respond to the needs of repatriates from Sabah, as well as other locally-displaced persons such as victims of trafficking and illegal recruitment. It also helps individuals affected by incidents of armed conflict such as the Zamboanga Siege back in 2013. The PCDP has been consistently providing temporary shelter and emergency relief assistance to its clients and beneficiaries.

As of March 5 this year, a total of 841 deportees have been served by the DSWD of whom 411 were served from January to February 15, and 430  from February up to March 3. The Department has extended assistance such as food (total costs amounting to P337,160), transportation (P446,050), personal effects (P1,160), and cash/ medical/ burial/ used clothes (amounting P780). The total amount of assistance provided by DSWD as of March 5 this year is P785,150.

Upon boarding the ship, a brief orientation for the deportees is conducted by DSWD, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine National Police (PNP), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA),  and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Likewise, upon admission to PCDP, hot meals and personal effects are immediately provided to the deported Filipinos.  The DOH, in the meantime, provides them with medical services – giving the deportees check-ups and when needed, treatment for illnesses.  An initial assessment and interview by social workers are conducted to help the Department give the necessary interventions to the deportees.

Interventions provided varies from transportation assistance, shelter, and psycho-social  such as counseling and trauma management.  Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) can be undertaken depending on the social workers assessment of the client needs.  Legal, medical services and livelihood skills training can also be provided. A referral to the LGU is also furnished by the Department for other support services that may be available through the province/city/municipal social welfare and development offices (P/C/MSWDO).

“The DSWD through the PCDP has already established a support system for deportees and internally displaced persons for years now. Still,  it is not designed and equipped to address this sudden increase of the number of deportees the current situation is asking for,” Sec. Taguiwalo said.

Visit to deportees

Meanwhile, Sec. Taguiwalo  travelled to Zamboanga City for a 2-day visit, early this month to personally check the condition of 227 deportees from Sabah, Malaysia currently sheltered in the PCDP.

During her visit, Sec. Taguiwalo encouraged the deportees to search for jobs, even temporary ones, in case that they have no legal documents yet here in the country. She also assured them that the Department is willing to offer Cash-for-Work and Food-for-Work projects that they can avail.

“Handa po ang DSWD na maglingkod at magbigay ng mapagkalingang serbisyo sa lahat (The DSWD is ready to serve and provide compassionate service to all),” said Sec. Taguiwalo.

Aside from her dialogue with the deportees, the Secretary also inspected other facilities of the DSWD-Field Office IX such as the Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU), Regional Youth Hostel, Reception and Study Center for Children (RSCC), and the Home for the Elderly in Talon-Talon, Zamboanga City where she interacted with the elderly residents. ###