Abused OFW returns from Kuwait


ABS-CBNnews.com

KUWAIT - After spending more than 3 weeks in the hospital in Kuwait, a Filipina household service worker finally returned home to Manila.
Margie Pontillas was injured after escaping from her abusive employer by jumping off a two-storey house. With the help of officers from the Philippine embassy and POLO-OWWA, Pontillas finally boarded a flight to Manila last Saturday.
"Sa awa ng Diyos, masaya po ako, nagpapasalamat po ako sa ABS-CBN, at lalong-lalo na po sa POLO-OWWA... Maraming-maraming salamat po," she said.
She also thanked her agency in the Philippines for helping expedite her return to the Philippines.
The 33-year-old Pontillas, a native of Carmen, Davao, is separated from her husband and has 5 children. She arrived in Kuwait on February 2, 2011 to work as a household service worker.
She escaped from her abusive employer last July 16. Aside from a fractured right foot and broken toe nail, Pontillas had bite marks on her left arm and right forefinger.

Despite the abuse she suffered under the hands of her Kuwaiti employer, Pontillas said she still wants to try working in another country for the sake of her children's future.
"Mag-aabroad ako pero hindi na po dito. Magpahinga po muna ako ng ilang buwan kung kaya ko na po saka na po ako babalik," she said. - Report from Maxxy Santiago, ABS-CBN Middle East Bureau

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