Press Release
7 April 2010
Some 19 distress OFWs in Saudi Arabia convey their belated birthday & ‘goodbye’ wish to Mrs. Arroyo upon learning that the she had her last birthday on the 5th of April as President.
“Though late, we wish the President to have a kind heart for us, distress OFWs, who have been staying in our company’s barrack for more than 3 months now,” said Monaliza Paje, 34 years old of Butuan City, who managed to sent a short message to Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona.
OFW Paje along with 18 companions working for a Saudi-based Annasban Company, were forced to stop working saying that they could not bear anymore the labor malpractices committed by their company.
OFW Paje said fellow co-workers who have stopped working are Susana de la Roca, Maribel Remetio, Vicky Jaruda, Mercy Santos, Rachel Baroy, Shiela Marie Barreto Ventura, Florencia Monte, Sarah Jane Abad, Elisa Mendoza, Margarita Viray, Normalia P. Daraid, Maileen Martinez, Anna Mae Comia, Sherhina Abdulla, Nemia Gallantes, Shirley G. Martinez, and Liezel A. Caballes.
They were hired as caregivers for various rehabilitation centers in which Annasban Company has been supplying the needed workforce.
The OFWs have been deployed by recruitment agencies in the Philippines such as UPPI, Saveway, Global, and Placewell.
They complained their employer for breach of contract by not giving them the rightful salary, illegal deductions, working more than 8 hours without overtime pay, and no health insurance.
They are now staying at their company barracks in Abha, southwestern part of Saudi Arabia.
“We already endorsed their case to the attention of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Riyadh who has the jurisdiction, but until now there is no clear response and action to their complaints,” Monterona said.
Monterona said he has been receiving request for food and water from the distress OFWs who have said that until now the POLO-OWWA did not give them.
Still pleading for their repatriation
Last January 2010, 5 caregivers have decided to stop working with the same complaints against the same employer, the Annasban Company.
Four (4) of them have been at the company-barracks for more than 3 months now, they are Rolmar Castaneda, Jane Gerarman, Leonor Agorilla, Glory Barangan, while Marissa Andes managed to run away from the job site is now in Philippine Embassy’s Bahay Kalinga in Riyadh.
Monterona said the distress OFWs always called our attention repeatedly pleading for their repatriation; “We understand their worries and deplorable condition that’s why we are also pushing the concerned government agencies and RP post officials as they have the legal status to represent in behalf of the distress OFWs,” he added.
