Saudi OFWs take to social media, plead for government help

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Saudi Arabia took to social media and pleaded for help from the Philippine government as they claimed they were not receiving proper wages and were allegedly being detained by their employer.
 
 
"Wala na po talaga silang balak palabasin kami, araw-araw na ginawa ng Diyos," said an OFW in a video posted on the Migrante Al Khobar - Eastern Region KSA Facebook account. "Araw-araw po nila kaming pinupuntahan dito para takutin lang." 
 
The women also claimed that they were not allowed to talk with Philippine officials.
 
According to a report on GMA News, Migrante International Chairman Gary Martinez said that there may have been a misunderstanding between the Philippine government and the Saudi Arabia employers.
 
"Nang dumating po ang high level mission at mga Migrante para kausapin ang management, nagkaroon po ng miscommunication. Akala po nila, basta natin kukuhanin 'yung ating mga kababayan kaya nagkaroon po ng almost 24 hours na hindi sila nakausap. The next day po, pinapasok naman po nang maayos ang Migrante," Martinez explained.
 
 
The employer has since promised to pay the employees and refer them to other available jobs in the country. The OFWs, however, rejected this and just chose to go home to Philippines instead. A date for repatriation has not been set.
 
The month-long mission from August 10 to September 10 was set to bring home some 11,000 OFWs stranded in the Kingdom due to a massive layoffs triggered by a slump in global oil prices. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/DVM, GMA News

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