RIYADH, 25 February 2003 — Not a penny has so far been seen of the money pledged by Manila lawmakers for the Barya Mo, Buhay Ko (BMBK), a campaign launched in Riyadh last year to help distressed Filipino workers in the Kingdom.

But the project is still alive, thanks to the donations made by hundreds of Filipinos.

According to Francis M. Maca, chairman of the BMBK’s Welfare Fund for the Distressed, a total of SR15,257.35 was collected since the campaign was launched last April. Of that amount, SR7,000 was given to several workers classified as “distressed,” Maca said in a report. The report identified the beneficiaries as:

• Daniel Carlos Manalili of Talavera town in Nueva Ecija province, who was deployed to the Kingdom by Philcom International Resources, received SR1,000 to help him pay his employer just to get him an exit visa. Complaining that his contract was violated, Manalili ran away and sought assistance from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO).

After painstaking negotiations by case officer Abdullah Umpa, the employer agreed to reduce the amount he was charging Manalili out of the total he had spent on him to bring him into the Kingdom.

• Reinhard Castandielo Gustilo of Dasmariñas, Cavite, deployed by the Manila-based Jamal International Human Resources, who received SR1,000 for the processing of his exit visa.

Gustilo ran away from his sponsor allegedly due to physical harassment, unpaid overtime and no medical benefits when he got sick. His case was referred by case officer Sammy Ameril to BMBK for financial assistance.

• Antonio Pastrana Barrios of Pototan, Iloilo, a victim of attempted murder, got SR2,000 from the fund for his exit papers. Barrios suffered multiple stab wounds from the hands of a fellow Filipino named Alvin Perez. He had a big cut on his face and both his arms were injured while defending himself.

In addition to the fund’s help, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) gave him medical assistance, the Madja-as Federation passed the hat and collected SR2,500 for his food, while Roy Sentuelo patiently fed and helped him with his medication and personal needs.

Case Officers Arturo Romua and Assistant Labor Attaché Jolly de la Torre negotiated with his employer for his immediate repatriation. OWWA provided the plane ticket.

• Luzviminda Aguilar Sison, 56, of Talavera, Nueva Ecija, got a one-way ticket to Manila from the BMBK. Deployed to Riyadh by Shahira Manpower and General Services, Sison was abandoned by her employer, and case officer Basher took the responsibility of processing her travel documents and exit visa.

• Euberto Chua Simbaco of Liloan, Southern Leyte, was charged to pay SR8,000 for helping distressed fellow OFW Gina Casubas escape from an employer. After conciliation by de la Torre, the amount was reduced to SR5,500 representing the expenses incurred by the sponsor in bringing Casubas through Manserve Manpower. To pay for the amount, BMBK chipped in SR1,500 for the release from jail of Simbaco and his family. Casubas paid SR2,000 and Simbaco paid SR2,000.

• Robert Jabuen and Christopher Banag, whose cases were not specified in the report, got SR500 and SR1,000, respectively, from the fund.

Qualified to apply for the fund are:

• Those detained at the deportation office for more than one month and who have no tangible source of money to bear the cost of an air ticket.

• Those whose cases at POLO have been unresolved for more than three months after the case officer exhausted all means to settle their cases.

• Victims of sexual abuse but who are unable to prove the case in court or are unwilling to file a case, and intend to be repatriated, provided that the victim did not in any way provoke the offense, nor consented to it by not reporting it to the police despite an opportunity to do so.

In general, those convicted of murder or other criminal offenses and who may qualify for assistance under the legal assistance fund of the Philippine Department Department of Foreign Affairs may not qualify for entitlement.

Regarding the pledge made by Philippine lawmakers, Maca said that Rep. Augusto Syjuco of Iloilo did issue a 200,000-peso check out of his 1-million-peso pledge through former fund chairman Romy Sinamban but till today the check was not deposited to the BMBK’s bank account because the name of the payee is different from the name in the bank account. Syjuco has been urged to issue another check.

As to the 5-million pledges of Sens. Panfilo Lacson and Edgardo Angara from their “pork barrel” allocations, Maca opined that in due time BMBK may be able to collect the amount.

In the meantime, Maca said, the campaign should move on as the number of distressed OFWs keeps growing.

He asked those who had volunteered and who represent a cross section of the Filipino community to attend a meeting tomorrow at the POLO Office starting at 9 p.m. in a bid to boost the campaign.