JEDDAH, 19 September 2007 — Financial assistance has started pouring in for Leonora Somera, the Filipino woman who worked as a shepherdess in Al-Baha for 18 years without receiving a regular salary.

As of yesterday, hundreds of individuals have contributed close to $3,300 to the 65-year-old from Nueva Ecija province, who has been stranded at the Philippine Consulate General for almost two years in a futile bid to get what his employer still owes her.

The bulk of the donations came from members of the Filipino Community in Jubail, which has collected 11,040 riyals (almost $3,000) so far.

A total amount of 12,486 pesos (about $275) were deposited directly to Somera’s account with the Philippine National Bank via the Telemoney remittance centers in the Kingdom.

Ador Tanedo, president of the Filipino Community in Jubail, an accredited partner of the Philippine Embassy, said that their fund drive, was initiated by one of their leaders, Tony Fajardo, after they read an article published in Arab News about Somera’s ordeal.

Tanedo visited Jeddah last week to check on Somera’s condition and to make sure that there was indeed a bank account so that others could also deposit directly their donations.

He was able to interview Somera, who had been staying at the shelter being maintained by inside the Philippine Consulate General compound.

“We launched a campaign for one riyal per OFW for Mrs. Somera and it will continue until she goes home,” Tanedo said.

He said the group was not targeting to raise 63,000 riyals, Somera’s unpaid claims from her employer. The POLO filed a case against the employer on Somera’s behalf but the employer has reportedly disappeared.

“We are just preparing for her future when she goes home. She is already old and we want her to suffer no more when she returns home,” Tanedo told Arab News.

“We are hoping that Ms. Somera will go home before the Christmas Season,” he said, adding that Fajardo would like to accompany her so he can also assist her as they are from the same province.

Tañedo yesterday said by cell phone that their fund drive for Somera in the Eastern Province will end on Sept. 30 , but he encouraged those who still wish to give their contributions to deposit these to the woman’ PNB account.

Digna Diaz of the POLO said Somera’s account was opened for her by the PNB in San Jose City, which is close to her home town, San Leonardo in Nueva Ecija.

Robert Constantino, PNB’s business manager for the western region of Saudi Arabia, earlier handed over the bank account to Somera with Welfare Officer Abdurajik Samain as witness.

Among those who remitted to Somera’s account was a British national named Bill Turner.

“We have received pledges and we hope this will be remitted soon so that Nanay could go home before Christmas,” said Constantino.

Birthday Celebration

Somera, who is fondly called “Nanay” by fellow wards and welfare officers at the OWWA shelter inside the consulate, was teary-eyed as she acknowledged the outpouring of support from fellow Filipinos as well as Saudis and other nationals.

Last Wednesday, Somera celebrated her 65TH birthday inside the OWWA shelter at the consulate and the OWWA staff and officers led by Assistant Labor Attaché Adam Mussa and Welfare Officer Romy Pablo and other residents of the shelter took turns serenading her.

Asked to make a on her birthday, she smiled and said, “I hope I can go home before Christmas. I am longing to see my family and my daughter.”

Somera used to work as a bus conductress but because of low pay, she left to work as maid for a family in the Kingdom when her daughter was only 6. The daughter, who was taken care of by Somera’s sister, is now working in a hotel.

One Saudi employee of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry who was also appalled by Somera’s maltreatment, told Arab News that she felt it was equally important to find a Saudi lawyer who would help Somera pursue her back pay from her sponsor in the Labor Court.

“I’m trying to arrange a Saudi lawyer to help her ‘pro bono’ (for free),” Noura Alturki had earlier assured Arab News.

List of Donors

(As of Sept. 16, 2007)

1. Pinoy Overseas Royal Commission Hospital

2. Al- Bayroni

3. Sadaf

4. Ar-Razi

5. Hadeed (RE,SMO,Wrhse list # 02 OF 3)

6. Hadeed (B & G)

7. Hadeed (FP)

8. Hadeed (SRACO List # 01 OF 03

9. Sadaf Beach Camp

10. Hadeed (PE)

11. Linde Arabia & MMG Sharq-PE Project Site

12. Olayan Descon Industrial Co. Ltd.

13. UGS – Operation Department

14. Hadeed (Water Lab Utilities)

15. IBN Zahr (c/o) Linde Arabia)

16. CTS/PMC Juaymah Gas Plant & Mohd Al-Mojil

17. Hadeed (TSD-WS Site Machine Repair)

18. Marafiq

19. Gulf Stabilizers Industries (GSI)

20. SPG

21. Sabic Employees, Friends, Heart of Gold

22. SMO-Sabic Employees

23. Ladies Tailoring Jubail

24. Ariel Millalos (Jubta)

25. S.A. Basheer Khan (Zamil)

26. Filcom

27. Al-Majal Boys

28. Jubail Energy Company (JEC)

29. Unicoil

30. Alkhobar/Al-Majdouie Co. (c/o Joseph Araullo and Joel Gomez)

32. Parsons (courtesy of Tony Conmigo)

33. Gablih Contracting Est.

34. KJO-Legal & Audit Department

35. KJO-CBD Planning & Bldg. Maintenance

36. KJO-Contracts Department

37. Gablih Contracting Est.

38. Aramco Gulf Operations Co. Ltd.

39. Lorenzo, Jimmy and Bill Turner

40. Venjie J. Biaco

41. Hermald P. Debo

41. Daryl R. Buhay