84 Pinay cleaners in UAE left without food, water
At least 84 Filipina cleaners have been living in misery since being abandoned by their employer without salary, food, water and electricity at a home in the United Arab Emirates.
While the local Filipino community has extended some help, the Filipina cleaners are also seeking redress from labor officials in Dubai as well as help from doctors.
“We welcome any Filipino doctor who will come and check our health. Many have symptoms of hypertension due to the depressing situation, breathing difficulties, asthma, skin rashes, cough and cold. We are sleeping on the rooftop where we can get fresh air," Mary Grace Teneros said in an article posted Sunday on UAE news site Khaleej Times.
Teneros was one of the first four cleaners who filed a suit before the Dubai court after they found out they were illegally brought there.
For now, leaders of the Filipino community have helped keep up the spirits of the stranded Filipina workers and have brought them food, medicines, and toiletries.
Roach infested
“We are very happy for the help we are receiving now, even from the Baptist Church. They also checked the villa, which as of now, is breeding lots of cockroaches and other insects as we cannot maintain the cleanliness for the lack of water," Manorin Fernandez, 38, said.
She also said the Philippine Overseas Labor Office has helped them since August to file their cases at the Dubai labor department.
“Our assistant labor attaché, Venus Abad, explained everything to us. Our contract signed at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration reflected a Dh1,800 (P21,491) monthly salary and food allowance of $150. (But) we were asked to sign another contract here in Dubai, which stated our salary to be Dh700 (P8,357) which we did not receive for three months," Teneros said.
Also, the Filipino community will seek to have the Filipina cleaners’ water and electricity restored. Power and water had been cut off since September 13 due to unpaid bills amounting to Dh23,000 (P274,616).
Liza Concepcion, the president of the Filipino Community (FILCOM), is set to tackle the issue with Philippine Consul General Benito Valeriano at a meeting.
No salaries
The Khaleej Times report said the 84 Filipina cleaners did not receive their salaries for three
months and have been living in the dark without food, water and electricity. Four of them filed cases with the Dubai Court as early as July 17 after they found out that they were staying illegally.
According to them, their employer got labor cards for them but did not secure employment visas with the Dubai immigration department. The rest filed complaints with the Dubai Labor September 14 for non-payment of salaries and food allowances.
In its decision, the Dubai Court ordered the employer to give them one way air tickets and settle the unpaid salaries.
On the other hand, the employer allegedly did not visit them nor care for their needs. Dubai immigration computed their overstay penalties at Dh15,000 (P179,097), which totaled Dh1.26 million (P15.044 million).
Another Filipina cleaner, Merle Perez, 42, said they had been advised to leave the villa last September 23.
“We made our appeal and showed them our papers with Dubai Labor seeking redress. We appreciate the assistance of a real estate manager, in representing us with the building owner, who turned out to be a kind-hearted man. He is now helping us," she said. - KBK, GMANews.TV
While the local Filipino community has extended some help, the Filipina cleaners are also seeking redress from labor officials in Dubai as well as help from doctors.
“We welcome any Filipino doctor who will come and check our health. Many have symptoms of hypertension due to the depressing situation, breathing difficulties, asthma, skin rashes, cough and cold. We are sleeping on the rooftop where we can get fresh air," Mary Grace Teneros said in an article posted Sunday on UAE news site Khaleej Times.
Teneros was one of the first four cleaners who filed a suit before the Dubai court after they found out they were illegally brought there.
For now, leaders of the Filipino community have helped keep up the spirits of the stranded Filipina workers and have brought them food, medicines, and toiletries.
Roach infested
“We are very happy for the help we are receiving now, even from the Baptist Church. They also checked the villa, which as of now, is breeding lots of cockroaches and other insects as we cannot maintain the cleanliness for the lack of water," Manorin Fernandez, 38, said.
She also said the Philippine Overseas Labor Office has helped them since August to file their cases at the Dubai labor department.
“Our assistant labor attaché, Venus Abad, explained everything to us. Our contract signed at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration reflected a Dh1,800 (P21,491) monthly salary and food allowance of $150. (But) we were asked to sign another contract here in Dubai, which stated our salary to be Dh700 (P8,357) which we did not receive for three months," Teneros said.
Also, the Filipino community will seek to have the Filipina cleaners’ water and electricity restored. Power and water had been cut off since September 13 due to unpaid bills amounting to Dh23,000 (P274,616).
Liza Concepcion, the president of the Filipino Community (FILCOM), is set to tackle the issue with Philippine Consul General Benito Valeriano at a meeting.
No salaries
The Khaleej Times report said the 84 Filipina cleaners did not receive their salaries for three
months and have been living in the dark without food, water and electricity. Four of them filed cases with the Dubai Court as early as July 17 after they found out that they were staying illegally.
According to them, their employer got labor cards for them but did not secure employment visas with the Dubai immigration department. The rest filed complaints with the Dubai Labor September 14 for non-payment of salaries and food allowances.
In its decision, the Dubai Court ordered the employer to give them one way air tickets and settle the unpaid salaries.
On the other hand, the employer allegedly did not visit them nor care for their needs. Dubai immigration computed their overstay penalties at Dh15,000 (P179,097), which totaled Dh1.26 million (P15.044 million).
Another Filipina cleaner, Merle Perez, 42, said they had been advised to leave the villa last September 23.
“We made our appeal and showed them our papers with Dubai Labor seeking redress. We appreciate the assistance of a real estate manager, in representing us with the building owner, who turned out to be a kind-hearted man. He is now helping us," she said. - KBK, GMANews.TV
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