DOLE mulls temporary deployment ban to Saudi over reports of maltreatment of OFWs

By MA. ANGELICA GARCIA, GMA News Published September 29, 2021 5:59pm The Department of Labor and Employment on Wednesday said it is mulling a temporary deployment ban to Saudi Arabia following reports of maltreatment of overseas Filipino workers there. DOLE-Information and Publication Service (IPS) director Rolly Francia said 16 OFWs were allegedly abused by their employer, a retired military general in Saudi Arabia. Two of the 16 OFWs are still in the quarters of the general. The rest have been repatriated. He said negotiations are already underway to rescue the remaining OFWs. "Kung hindi maisasaayos ng foreign employers ang kanilang pagpapalaya (sa mga OFWs), baka mapilitan ang ating pamahalaan na muli nanamang i-suspend ang deployment sa Saudi," he said in an online event. "Sana hindi umabot sa ganiyan kaya nakikiusap ang pamahalaan sa employers to facilitate 'yon pong pagkuha sa ating natitirang kababayan na nandoon sa employer ng general sa Riyadh," Francia added. Earlier, five Filipina domestic helpers complained that they were allegedly abused by their employer, a former general in Saudi Arabia. According to a report of JP Soriano on GMA News' 24 Oras, even the wife and children of the former officer have abused the Filipina workers. — RSJ, GMA News

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