SFA-AGR-180-08

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY IN PRETORIA TO REPATRIATE 250 OFWs

DUE TO COMPANY CLOSURE

24 March 2008 - Philippine Ambassador to South Africa Virgilio A. Reyes, Jr. reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that there will be two hundred fifty (250) Filipino nationals working in Namibia who will eventually be repatriated to the Philippines due to sudden notice of closure by their employer, Flamingo Garments /  Ramatex textile company.

Ambassador Reyes said that the Philippine Embassy in Pretoria received a letter of general announcement of business closure from the management of Ramatex Textiles Namibia (Pty) Ltd effective 6 March 2008 stating that" there is no magic solution to guarantee future success to the business operation", accounting for retrenchment of all workers according to company manager Boon Keong Ong.

On 13 and 14 February, as a result of a complaint filed last year by 20 Filipinos before the Namibian labor court on grounds of illegal termination, non-payment of accrued leave of absence and tax refund, Ambassador Reyes led a diplomatic and consular mission to Namibia to meet with the management of the company and the complainants to help thresh out the problems and a possible amicable solution. The OFWs stated that while Namibian labor law grants 24 days vacation leave per year their contract only gave them seven (7) days.

Ambassador Reyes also reported that he also met with lawyers hired by the OFWs as an additional 160 Filipino workers joined the complainants to file for their claims on preferred exit packages prior to their return to the Philippines.  A meeting was also held with the Permanent Secretary of the Namibian Ministry of Labor, who gave assurance of government support and stated that Filipino complainants should not be repatriated pending resolution of the case. The Namibian Labor Commissioner also directed the company to discharge its legal obligations to all local employees and foreigners alike.

Ambassador Reyes said that 40 Filipinos occupying management positions in the company requested assistance for their repatriation, since they are not included among the complainants and have accepted the company's offer of exit package of one (1) month pay, current leave pay and repatriation ticket.

The company management, according to Ambassador Reyes, seemed to be reluctant to give further concessions.  The majority of the Filipino workers have opted to remain in the meantime in Namibia and joined Namibian Food and Allied Workers Union (NFAU) which is representing the 3,000 Namibian workers in negotiating their severance pay under Namibian labor law.  Ambassador Reyes further stated that the Embassy would continue monitoring the case and is in constant coordination with the leaders of the Filipino group, the lawyers and concerned Namibian authorities.

Flamingo Garments/Ramatex Textile employed more than 1,000 Filipino workers in 2002 but this number has dwindled due to labor problems and the closure of company subsidiaries in the country. END

wingret