MIGRANT WATCH

Saudi Contractor Locks Up Cordi-Ilocos OFWs after Labor Protest

Fifteen overseas Filipino workers are seeking the help of Migrante-Metro Baguio for repatriation, after being locked up by the Annasban Recruitment Contractors for protesting unfair labor practices.

By Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat

BAGUIO CITY – Fifteen overseas Filipino workers are seeking the help of Migrante-Metro Baguio for repatriation, after being locked up by the Annasban Recruitment Contractors for protesting unfair labor practices.

Three months ago, another group of 38 OFW's reportedly maltreated by Annasban, based in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, were repatriated.

Migrante-MB reports said the 15 OFW's stopped working last May, a few weeks after the last batch of earlier protesters came home, due to Annasban's contract violations. Ten of the 15 are from the Cordillera, three from Ilocos, and two from Cagayan Valley.

The workers complained of contract substitution, delayed salaries, and unexplained salary deductions. They also said Annasban did not honor contract provisions on food allowances, free medical assistance, day-offs, and overtime pay. They said an equivalent of three-day salary is deducted from their wages for every missed workday.

Migrante-MB Chair Flora Belinan disclosed that the 15 are locked up in three Annasban buildings.

“At the moment they are running out of food,” Belinan said. “They rely only on the support of their friends, just like the experience of the earlier batch,” she added.

Belinan explained that in a recent dialogue with the recruitment agencies of  the OFWs, Annasban offered to transfer the OFWs to another work site with additional pay for overtime work, and a six-day work week at eight hours per day. She said the victims would rather come home than endure Annasban's unfair labor practices.

"Annasban did not learn from experience. If it is sincere, it should have corrected its malpractices with the earlier batch of OFWs three months ago," she said.

Belinan also criticized the Philippine government for its failure to curb Annasban's malpractices despite petitions submitted to concerned agencies.

“It seems the government is not seriously looking after the welfare of OFWs,” she said.

Belinan said that Migrante has assisted other OFWs in Jordan seeking repatriation, adding that these Filipinos were recruited by a hiring agency but were given tourist visas.

“Most of the undocumented in Jordan are maltreated OFWs who run away from their employers,” she said. 

Meanwhile, Migrante still receives calls and text messages from OFWs trapped in Lebanon. Belinan said these OFWs are being held by their employers because they have spent a lot hiring them. NORDIS / Posted by Bulatlat

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