No work, no livelihood: Filipinos in Thailand seek urgent assistance
This is the press release of the APMM on an online survey it conducted among Thailand-based Filipinos during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jobless. Insecure. Needing urgent support.
This is how the situation of Thailand-based Filipinos can be described based on the results of an online survey conducted by the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM). Released soon after the national lockdown was announced in Thailand, the online survey ran a span of two weeks (from April 14 to April 28) and gathered a total of 379 respondents. (See attached Results of Online Survey on Situation of Thailand-based Filipinos during COVID-19 Pandemic.)
Based on the survey results, more than half (53%) of the respondents are now jobless as a result of the lockdown. 148 (39%) respondents said that they are on a no work-no pay situation while 52 (14%) have lost their jobs in the process. 65 (17%) indicated that their working hours and/or salaries have been reduced also as a result of the lockdown.
The impacts rippled on their livelihood, which can be directly linked to their employment situation. As many as 265 respondents (80%) revealed: (a) inability to pay home rent, (b) inability to pay utilities such as electricity or water, or (c) inability to buy food and other basic amenities. 118 respondents (31%) have ticked more than one of the aforementioned impacts while 127 (33%) stated that they could not anymore send remittances. A respondent mentioned that she was pregnant while another expressed worry about not being able to buy milk or diaper for her baby.
The impact of the lockdown to their visa situation is also tied to their employment as many of the 31% who said their visa status has been affected have lost their jobs during the period of the lockdown.
With 17,921 Filipinos estimated to be living and working in Thailand (based on a 2015 record), job security is a real concern especially with the lockdown extended until May 31.
The survey revealed that the Thailand-based Filipinos are in urgent need of assistance, from food relief, provision of free personal protective equipment like masks and alcohol, and assistance in terms of employment. Other identified needs were medical or health assistance, visa assistance, temporary shelter, and repatriation. Some have openly expressed the need for immediate support, in particular financial assistance.
It is at this juncture that the APMM calls on both the Thai and Philippine governments to take immediate action to respond to the needs of the Filipinos living and working in Thailand.
In particular for the Thai government, that Filipinos and other migrants of other nationalities be included in its financial support package during this time of the pandemic. Filipinos belong to approximately 5 million migrant workers in Thailand, who are seriously affected by the long-term lockdown. Many of them have brought their families and children with them to Thailand and with the economic downturn, their budget is running dry. We appeal for special attention and assistance to be given to the more vulnerable sections, such as women and children.
To the Philippine government, we call to continue with the DOLE-AKAP Cash Assistance by the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment and extend the support to Filipinos living and working in Thailand. Thailand should be included in its list of priority countries. We also implore the Philippine Embassy to start providing direct assistance – from food relief to other identified needs – to distressed Filipinos there.
A Facebook page named Damayang Migrante sa Thailand has been initiated by a few groups and individuals to gather different support and relief initiatives by Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike while encouraging distressed Filipinos to seek assistance.
The APMM will send a letter of appeal to both the Thai and Philippine governments with regard to this.
Reference:
Aaron Ceradoy, General Manager
Email apmm@apmigrants.org
Tel. No. +862-27237536