Migrant Workers emergency text programme

From TTC: Mobile Advocacy Toolkit Working Meeting wiki

MIGRANTE, a migrant rights group, has been using mobile communication in its advocacy for many years now. Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) need to be constantly on the lookout for abuses in the workplace and discriminatory laws passed by the governments of the countries they work in.

MIGRANTE initiated an “emergency text” programme which allowed workers to text in their complaints. Many cases of physical abuse of domestic workers by their employers were reported to the hotline. MIGRANTE also communicate with other groups abroad about problems in their respective countries. The emergency text programme has proved useful in informing leaders of migrant organisations whenever such crackdowns on migrant workers are in effect.

In particular, an Anti-crackdown task force was created when the Korean government declared a crackdown on OFWs with expired visas. OFWs in Korea and other countries were warned of possible mistreatment and informed about the help they could probably get from the Philippine Embassy.