OFW in Saudi Arabia appeals for help, wants to come home

abs-cbnNEWS.com

A would-be first-time waiter in Damman, Saudi Arabia said he now wants to come home to the Philippines after experiencing maltreatment and job switching from his former employer.

Marlon Garcia went to Damman in the hopes of fulfilling his dream of buying a house for his pregnant wife and their three-year-old daughter.

However, that dream seemed far from his reach after he fled from his employer whom he accused of physical abuse and who allegedly ordered him to do various jobs aside from the one he applied for.

Reports said Garcia applied as a waiter but ended up working as a bellboy in a hotel when he arrived in Damman last December.

One time, his hotel supervisor made him rest after he felt weak from work. However, the following day, his employer summoned him and brought him to a construction site.

He initially refused to work in the construction site but his employer’s other foreign workers held him up.

"Tapos hinawakan po ako ng dalawang ibang lahi po. Tapos binatukan po ako dito ng tatlong beses. Tapos gusto pa po ako buhusan ng tubig na mainit," Garcia told ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau.

He added that he could not think of any reasons why his employer would hate him that much.

"Nataranta po ako noon. Tapos pinaabot po ‘yong isang malaking bakal. Pinagpapalo po ako dito. Mabuti nakatayo ako kundi tinamaan po ako," said Garcia.

It was last January when Garcia escaped his employer and has since been staying in different places.

Now, Garcia takes on extra jobs like dishwashing in restaurants to buy himself food.

"Di daw po ako makakauwi. Kasi dapat daw ako magbayad ng 80 thousand puwera pa ho ang pamasahe doon, pambili ng ticket," he said.

He added that he already paid P15,000 as placement fee in the agency.

"Di ko naman kagustuhan ito. Sila mismo gumulo ng trabaho ko. Ang ganda po ng puwesto ko doon, bell boy na ako. Ok na po yon eh. Ayoko lang nilipat ako sa construction, tapos sinaktan pa ako. Ayaw po maniwala ng agency. Wala raw po akong ebidensiya. May testigo raw po sila. Porke po kumita na sila ng pera," he said. Report from Dinan Arana, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau, Saudi Arabia

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