Nanny ‘slave’ freed / Universal Health Law, Cleaning 4Ps list

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

In a moving encounter with “Nanay Fedelina,” a Filipina who was kept in slave-like conditions and recently won her case against her former abusers, Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez reiterated the Philippine Government’s commitment to uphold the welfare and protect the rights of Overseas Filipinos at all times at the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles Conference Room on Sept. 15.

“The President instructed us (government officials abroad) to prioritize Overseas Filipinos. We must do our best to safeguard their welfare,” Ambassador Romualdez said.

“Nanay Fedelina” was a nanny who was brought to the United States by the Filipino-American family she was serving when she was just 16 years old. She spent 65 years in servitude that could only be described as a case of modern-day slavery.

In 2018, the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), through the help of U.S. law enforcement, rescued her and helped pursue and win her case in court. Today, with the help of PWC, the Consulate General, and many other generous hearts in Los Angeles, “Nanay Fedelina” is ready to begin a new life at 81.

“I want to go home to Tacloban and find my family,” she said. The Ambassador hopes to help her with her dream.

“Nanay Fedelina” came from a generation when slave-like employment practices or highly unregulated domestic employment were still commonplace in the Philippines. She also seems to be one of the few to survive this and gain freedom.

Although transnational slavery has long been abolished, its modern-day incarnations still exist in the form of human trafficking, forced labor, debt bondage, unpaid salaries, and many others. 

The meeting between Ambassador Romualdez and “Nanay Fedelina” was facilitated by PWC. It was part of the joint advocacy of the Consulate General and PWC to tell her story in the hopes that no more Filipino would fall victim to modern-day slavery.

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Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd signed Thursday the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Universal Health Care Law or Republic Act 11223.

Enacted into law last February 20, the IRR will pave way for the implementation of the UHC law, which provides health care for every Filipino.

A news dispatch said all Filipinos will be automatic members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and will be eligible to avail of the “No Balance Billings” once admitted to basic or ward accommodation in hospitals. “With UHC, the delivery of optimum and quality health services will be achieved through capacity-building of human resources for health and improved access to medicines and commodities by way of transparent pricing,” Duque said.

Present in the signing were co-authors of the UHC law Senator Risa Hontiveros, Rep. Angelina Tan, PhilHealth President General Ricardo Morales, and Undersecretary Mario Villaverde, chairman of the UHC IRR sub-task force.

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The Dept. of Social Welfare and Development and the Dept. of Interior and Local Government will begin their clean-up of the list of beneficiaries under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

The two departments seek to narrow down legitimate and qualified 4Ps beneficiaries following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Listahanan 3.

According to DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año, there had been reports of unqualified 4Ps beneficiaries.

“Marami ng mga report na nagsasabi na may mga pamilya na hindi naman mahihirap ang nabibigyan ng tulong mula sa 4Ps, at ito ang nais nating iwasan sa pamamagitan ng Listahanan ng DSWD (There are reports saying there are families that receive beneficiaries from 4Ps but are not really poor. This is what we are trying to avoid through the DSWD’s Listahan),” he said.

Año added that through the Listahan 3, there will be a guarantee that no non-poor families will benefit from the programs of the government such as the 4Ps.

Meanwhile, DILG Undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said the department will coordinate with local government units in completing this database of poor families.

“Mahalaga na marating ng mga surveyor mula sa DSWD ang mga mahihirap nating kababayan sa mga pamayanan upang masiguro na makakarating sa kanila ang tulong ng pamahalaan (It is important for DSWD surveyors to reach poor families in communities to ensure they can receive aid from the government),” Malaya said.