RIYADH, 13 December 2004 — Sixteen Filipino workers in the Eastern Province have been recommended for immediate repatriation, the Philippine Embassy said yesterday.
In a news release, the embassy cited a report by Labor Attaché Delmer R. Cruz as saying the workers have complained of alleged non-payment of salaries, being forced to sign resignation letters and waiver/quit claims, illegal termination of services, assignment of work different from that stated in the contract, non-provision of return ticket and non-payment of vacation leave and end-of-service benefits (ESB).
Cruz identified the employer of the group as Al Hammam Company for Construction and Maintenance and the deploying agency as ABBA, said the news release.
Cruz asked the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) “to require the concerned deploying agencies, in addition to the provision of PTAs, to act on the complaints of the workers and coordinate with their principals to pay the workers’ claims and facilitate exit visas/documents,” pursuant to existing rules and regulations, said the report.
Cruz also reported the repatriation of OFWs Vilma Aguinaldo, Aurora Estrella, Nadeera Baksan, Novifa Kalim and Angie Diaz to Manila on Dec. 2 and Dec. 5 for Ms. Diaz.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Bahnarim Guinomla has lauded initiatives and reform measures undertaken by the Saudi Ministry of Labor for expatriate workers in the Kingdom, including Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
In a meeting with Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi over the weekend, Guinomla presented some of the concerns of the OFWs in the Kingdom, including the question of payment of iqama fees, driver’s licenses, expeditious adjudication of labor cases, enforcement of labor court decisions, violation and substitution of contracts and related working conditions of OFWs.
The embassy said Al-Gosaibi disclosed the creation of a department on expatriate affairs in his ministry in order to have more focus on the problems, welfare and rights of foreign workers in Saudi Arabia.
“However, the minister added that since problems occur from both sides (private recruitment agencies in the Philippines and in the Kingdom), it was important that both the Embassy and the Ministry to cooperate with each other in addressing any difficulties affecting workers,” said the embassy in a statement.
“On Saudization, the ambassador acknowledged the policy of Saudi Arabia on this regard and informed the minister that Filipinos will be happy to remain in or come to Saudi Arabia ‘for as long as they continue to be welcomed and have a place in the Saudi labor market,’” it added.