A total of 110 repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Saudi Arabia received 20,000-peso cash assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), in addition to the promise of legal and livelihood assistance offered by various government agencies upon arrival in the country.
Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said that the order for this early Christmas gift in the form of financial aid came from Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III. He also said that it was given by the Philippine government to help the distressed OFWs start a new life in the country.
Repatriated Workers from Saudi Given 20,000 Pesos by DOLE as Financial Assistance
Of the 110 repatriated OFWs, 88 did not receive their salaries and overtime pay while working for Azmeel Co. in Al Khobar due to the lockdown of their work sites. 18 others were repatriated workers from Rakan Trading and Contracting Co. and another four from Samama Co. decided to come home after their contract were breached by their employers.
In addition to financial aid, airport assistance was also made available for the repatriated OFWs – which covers for a temporary accommodation while awaiting flights back to their hometowns – as well as transportation assistance for those residing in provinces in Luzon.
Cacdac also promised legal assistance to those who have received unfair treatment, should they wish to pursue legal actions against their recruitment agencies and employers in the oil-rich Arab country. Livelihood assistance is also made available, if the migrant workers wish to stay in the country.
“Ang mga napauwing OFW ay mayroon ring oportunidad na mag-aplay ng tulong pangkabuhayan. Isang seminar ang dapat nilang daluhan at kailangan rin nilang magsumite ng kanilang business plan. Tuturuan naman namin silang gawin ang mga ito,” Cacdac said.
They are also encouraged to submit their bio-data, so the government can provide employment assistance to the displaced OFWs who were mostly from the construction industry in Saudi Arabia. The skills and experiences they got abroad should be very useful in the government’s existing “Build, Build, Build” project under the Duterte administration.