The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) promised that there will be no more incidences of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Saudi Arabia coming home without being paid.
As the government prepares to begin worker deployments to the Middle East by November 7, DMW Secretary Susan Ople stated in a news conference on Friday that the Philippines and Saudi Arabia have signed agreements to ensure the welfare of OFWs.
““First time, iba na ang kontrata. May insurance para sa domestic workers at sa skilled workers. Hindi na mauulit na uuwing walang suweldo ang mga OFW. Hindi tayo basta lang magbubukas ng Saudi deployment na walang malinaw at matibay na pundasyon para sa proteksyon ng ating mga manggagawa,” said Ople.
The Philippine government repatriated around 9,000 OFWs from Saudi Arabia in 2016 after they stopped receiving their pay.
The OFWs won the lawsuit with the assistance of state attorneys, but they have yet to be compensated.
The Saudi government has not kept its pledge to settle the PHP4.6 billion worth of salaries committed in 2021.
“The DMW expects a delegation from the Saudi MHRSD (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development) to arrive next week for a bilateral meeting to discuss, among others, a review of OFW salaries and automation of recruitment processes. The said delegation will also discuss with the DMW the status of cases involving the unpaid salaries of thousands of Filipino construction workers dating back in 2016,” said Ople.
DMW Undersecretary Patricia Yvonne Caunan said among the labor reform measures jointly adopted by the Philippines and Saudi Arabia are:
• Employment contract with insurance coverage for domestic workers and skilled workers covering unpaid salaries, airfare, and refund of recruitment costs in case of unfinished contracts, and other contingencies. The Saudi government will shoulder the insurance cost for skilled workers while Saudi employers are mandated to pay for the insurance coverage of Filipino domestic workers.
• Pre-termination clause in the contract that would specifically allow a domestic worker to transfer to or change employers before the end of the contract based on certain grounds, such as the non-payment of salary and cases of abuse/maltreatment.
• Adoption of a joint alternative dispute settlement mechanism that would pave the way for a more transparent, fair, and amicable settlement of employment disputes.
• Integration of the contract and implementation of the Wage Protection Program, which will regulate and ensure the timely payment of wages to all OFWs.
• Direct referral of cases involving the trafficking and exploitation of OFWs to the MHRSD through its anti-human trafficking department.
DMW assures no OFWs from Saudi will go home without salary in tow
Source: Pinoy News Udpates PH
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