OFWs affected by company lockout in Saudi to receive P20,000 each —DOLE

P20K, NOT $50K


The 1,470 overseas Filipino workers affected by a company lockout in Saudi Arabia will each receive P20,000 in financial assistance, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said—a clarification from previous reports that said they would receive $50,000.
"Ang maibibigay lang ng OWWA [Overseas Workers' Welfare Administration] ay P20,000 cash assistance," Bello said in an interview with Emil Sumangil on GMA News TV's QRT on Tuesday.
He added that DOLE is coordinating with the Saudi Ministry of Labor to ensure that the affected Filipino workers will be able to get their two to six months' worth of unpaid salaries.
DOLE's labor attaches have already been in touch with the officials of Azmeel Contracting Corporation, and have reached initial agreements.
"We'll make sure 'yung kanilang commitment na every week magpapauwi sila ng 10 overseas workers natin after paying them their unpaid salaries," Bello said.
The labor secretary said the OFWs were not involved in violent protests conducted by Azmeel workers, following the company's alleged failure to pay their salaries.
"Nagkaroon ng violent protest ng workers pero hindi kasama ang ating mga kababayan doon sa violent protest," he said.
Bello pledged that those who would opt to go home will be assisted by the government.
"Nag-alok din ang Azmeel na bigyan sila ng trabaho pero karamihan sa kanila ay gusto na nilang umuwi... Ang commitment namin sa mga kababayan natin dito, bago magpasko, ay makakauwi na yung ating 1,473 overseas workers," he said.
OWWA earlier received a report that Azmeel excluded its workers from the premises after its assets were frozen by the Saudi government. — Dona Magsino/BM, GMA News

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