Bring distressed OFWs home before Christmas – Arroyo told
MANILA, Philippines - A migrant workers group urged President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to bring home distressed OFWs in the Middle East when she returns to the Philippines.
“We don’t want empty promises or self-serving praises on the achievement of her state visit in Qatar. The most concrete thing this administration can do is to bring distressed OFWs back to the Philippines to reunite them with their families before Christmas; especially the 70 Filipino workers who are languishing in Doha deportation cells," Migrante International said in a press ststament.
Migrante chairman Garry Martinez also cited the case of 25 distressed Filipino workers languishing at Salmiya jail in Kuwait. The inmate are all women and mostly work as domestic helpers. They allegedly ran away from their abusive employers but were later arrested by police for absconding.
The statement identified the jailed OFWs as Eva Ilagan, Jonalyn Hechanova, Josie Calicdan, Elena Tamparia, Florifel Francisco, Rosalinda Hasim, Rahima Castillo, Evelyn Sale, Annie Rose Guzman, Elizabeth Guinto, Leonora Quintero, Noriam Abdulmama, Erlinda Pena, Janet Yago, Janet Cabatu, Arolin Calma, Vivian Velziz, Roselyn Balanion, Ma. Elena Ancillas, Dely Talandang, Sorayna Timpoluc, Analeah Amil, Wilijada Damasina, and Canora Paloma.
“The only crime these Filipinas have committed was to save themselves from further abuse by their employers, yet they are now being incarcerated as criminals. Worse, Philippine Embassy officials failed to support them in defending their cases and have not even visited them at all," Martinez said.
Migrante also urged President Arroyo to take with her the stranded OFWs in Kish Island in Iran. The OFWs are about 3,000 most of whom were denied entry to UAE since they came as tourists.
“We don’t want empty promises or self-serving praises on the achievement of her state visit in Qatar. The most concrete thing this administration can do is to bring distressed OFWs back to the Philippines to reunite them with their families before Christmas; especially the 70 Filipino workers who are languishing in Doha deportation cells," Migrante International said in a press ststament.
Migrante chairman Garry Martinez also cited the case of 25 distressed Filipino workers languishing at Salmiya jail in Kuwait. The inmate are all women and mostly work as domestic helpers. They allegedly ran away from their abusive employers but were later arrested by police for absconding.
The statement identified the jailed OFWs as Eva Ilagan, Jonalyn Hechanova, Josie Calicdan, Elena Tamparia, Florifel Francisco, Rosalinda Hasim, Rahima Castillo, Evelyn Sale, Annie Rose Guzman, Elizabeth Guinto, Leonora Quintero, Noriam Abdulmama, Erlinda Pena, Janet Yago, Janet Cabatu, Arolin Calma, Vivian Velziz, Roselyn Balanion, Ma. Elena Ancillas, Dely Talandang, Sorayna Timpoluc, Analeah Amil, Wilijada Damasina, and Canora Paloma.
“The only crime these Filipinas have committed was to save themselves from further abuse by their employers, yet they are now being incarcerated as criminals. Worse, Philippine Embassy officials failed to support them in defending their cases and have not even visited them at all," Martinez said.
Migrante also urged President Arroyo to take with her the stranded OFWs in Kish Island in Iran. The OFWs are about 3,000 most of whom were denied entry to UAE since they came as tourists.
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