A party-list lawmaker on Friday said the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) should extend financial aid to the families of Filipino workers in Russia who might face cash remittance difficulties due to stiff international sanctions against the country.

In a statement, Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor said the economic and financial sanctions are bound to hit Russia’s banking system “very hard” for its invasion of Ukraine, possibly obstructing the money transfers of more than 10,000 Filipino workers there.

“We are counting on the OWWA to reach out to the families here at home of our workers in Russia, and to provide them temporary financial relief,” Defensor said.

Defensor cited Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data showing that Filipino workers in Russia sent home via the banking system a total of PHP115.8 million or USD2.3 million in 2021.

He said the Philippine Embassy in Russia estimates that 95 percent of the Filipinos in Russia are employed as household service workers, cleaners, cooks, drivers, and nannies, mostly in Moscow.

“The financial sanctions, in particular, would effectively block Russian banks from corresponding with virtually all major banks around the world,” Defensor said.

He said the Philippine government should be prepared to bring home Filipino workers in Russia who may wish to be repatriated.

“The prospect that some of our workers there might lose their jobs is very real, considering the projections that the Russian economy might plunge into a depression due to the global sanctions. We are not that worried about the less than 400 Filipinos in Ukraine because they are already undergoing repatriation,” he added.

Respect for freedom

Meawhile, presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. departed from his previous neutral stance and joined the international community in calling out Moscow to respect Kyiv’s freedom.

“I appeal for sobriety to prevail, for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing armed conflict as I stand united with the rest of the world for Russia to respect Ukraine’s freedom and its citizens’ democratic way of life,” he said in a statement on Friday.

“I support the unconditional observance of human rights and fervently hope that there will be no more targeting of civilian communities and civilian establishments,” he added.

Marcos Jr. earlier said he doesn’t think there is a need to take a stand as “we are not involved except for our nationals”. (PNA)