2 September 2008
"From Psych test to AIDS test, what's else?" queried by the largest alliance of overseas Filipino workers organizations based in the Middle East reacting to the proposed mandatory AIDS test for OFWs by Senator Pia Cayetano.

"It seems that OFWs are now the target of seemingly endless burden imposed by the government. Now OFWs are discriminately singled out as "AIDS-carrier" when in fact anybody who went abroad, not only OFWs, could be a possible AIDS-carrier, too," said John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator of Migrante Middle East.

Migrante ME said the report that concluded that a "huge chunk of (HIV) cases come from OFWs," should be thoroughly and carefully be re-studied.

"Sen. Pia Cayetano is right on her keen observation on the growing numbers of HIV cases in the country. It is due to the failure of the Arroyo administration through the Department of Health (DOH) under its administrative power to develop the needed HIV/AIDS awareness campaign or relevant program to address this concern despite the 2005 reports by the Philippine National AIDS Council on the increasing numbers of HIV and AIDS cases in the Philippines," Monterona said.

Migrante's Monterona said that mandatory AIDS test is unreasonable and may impinge the basic right of individuals such as its freedom of choice in relation to subjecting to the AIDS test.

"Mandatory AIDS test is unreasonable because in the first place the Arroyo administration failed to implement a comprehensive HIV/AIDS awareness program. You can't force someone to do what he is not aware in the first place," Monterona averred.

Migrante ME also warned that if the mandatory AIDS test is implemented and charge OFWs the required fees, OFWs and families will protest because it is only an additional burden to OFWs in time of soaring prices and economic crisis.

"OFWs and their families will vow to protest against it," Monterona declared.

Migrante ME however suggested that it is better for the government to start a massive awareness campaign program on HIV/AIDS so that the public may know.

"As to requiring AIDS test to be compulsory and charging them an additional fee, for sure this will face a strong opposition from OFWs and their families.. Instead, voluntary and free-of-charge AIDS test could be good to be included in the awareness campaign program," Monterona ended.