OFWs assured of assistance




Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III assured yesterday repatriated overseas Filipino workers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of continued assistance while awaiting final court action on their unpaid wages and other monetary claims.


 

Bello said the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is in constant monitoring and follow-up of their money claims from their financially-distressed companies in KSA.

 

“Mahal na mahal kayo ng ating Pangulo kaya siniseguro namin ang inyong kapakanan. Ang OWWA ay palaging nakaantabay para tumulong sa inyo. Huwag kayong mag-alala dahil hindi namin kayo pabayaan,” Bello said in a meeting with a group of OFWs who were formerly employed at Mohammad Al-Mojil Group (MMG) in Saudi.

 

OWWA Deputy Administrator Brigido Dulay and Atty. Ceasar Chavez of OWWA Repatriation Assistance Division said that they are coordinating with the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Al Khobar to hasten the processing of the OFWs’ monetary claims before the Saudi court.

 

“I’m part of the team na pinadala ni Secretary Bello to monitor and follow up your claims and we found out that the court decision is still under translation pero mayroon nang partial decision which our OFWs will receive in due time,” Chavez said, assuring that the OFWs will receive the authenticated court decision in August.

 

Dulay said they are accommodating the labor cases filed by around 100 OFW late-claimants so they can also receive their unpaid wages and benefits from their employers.

 

Meanwhile, Bello encouraged the OFWs who seek micro-finance loans to go to the OFW Bank which caters to the remittances and other banking needs of migrant workers.

 

“Sa October, nandyan na ‘yung OFW Bank, so instead na uutang kayo sa Landbank or other banks, dito na lang sa OFW Bank dahil sa inyo talaga ito. Kapag na launch ang OFW Bank, pwede kayong mangutang dyan sa pondo ninyo sa OWWA para pambili ng share of stocks para maging part owner kayo. Gusto ko na lahat ng OFW ay may share dyan,” Bello said.

 

In addition, OWWA together with the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO), continues to extend assistance to the repatriated OFWs through livelihood assistance and skills training.

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