RP, CNMI hope to seal labor pact in Nov.

The Philippines and CNMI governments are expecting to formalize the signing of a bilateral labor agreement in November, which is aimed at providing better protection to an estimated 20,000 Filipino workers in the Northern Marianas.

Philippines Labor Attaché lawyer Araceli Maraya disclosed that the draft of the amended labor agreement with the Commonwealth has already been forwarded to the Department of Foreign Affairs for review and additional input.

“We are hoping that the meeting between Philippines and CNMI labor officials which was scheduled in Manila will push through in November. We are hoping that we can push through with the signing of the amended MOU by then,” Ms. Maraya said.

Philippines and CNMI labor officials have agreed to amend the existing Memorandum of Agreement during a recent consultative meeting by Labor Undersecretary Felicisimo Joson with Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio and other Commonwealth officials.

Philippines labor officials have lauded the reforms undertaken by the Tenorio Administration which, they said, reaffirms the Commonwealth’s commitment at providing migrant workers here with adequate means of protection against labor abuses.

During their recent meeting on Saipan, both the Philippines and CNMI delegations have agreed to amend certain provisions of the existing bilateral labor agreement. The amended agreement is expected to be signed in Manila by November.

A technical committee composed of labor officials from each government has been tasked to spell out the details of the agreement.
One of the proposed amendment to the bilateral agreement is the guarantee that the issuance by the POEA of the Overseas Employment Certificate would ensure that the workers are fully covered by a contract endorsed and approved by the CNMI government.

Officials said this would also discourage illegal entry of Filipino workers into the Northern Marianas. This would stop plain tourists from coming in and working on the island without being processed by the POEA and the corresponding clearance from the Philippines government.

A permanent commission represented by officials from the CNMI and the Philippines had also been created and is set to meet each year alternately on Saipan and in Manila.

Work is also underway for the crafting an agreement to devise a consultative forum that will be tasked to craft working arrangements on labor documentation, implement guidelines and provide a review mechanism.