“The investigation would help legislators in drawing up rules and regulations as well as policies on the deployment of Filipino migrant workers,” Gerry de Guzman, Migrante-Saudi Arabia vice chairman, told Arab News on Thursday.
The Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs (COWA) delegation includes Reps. Cresente “Cris” Paez of the Coop-NATCO Party; Emmeline Y. Aglipay of the DIWA Party; and Maria Carmen Zamora-Apsay of Compostela Valley province's First District. COWA is chaired by Rep. Walden Bello.
A copy of Migrante's formal request was handed over to the congressional delegation during a meeting on Wednesday with the Filipino community at the International Philippine School in Alkhobar. The delegation met with OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) in Jeddah on Tuesday and in Riyadh on Sunday.
A marathon dialogue was held between the delegation and the Filipino community in Alkhobar as part of COWA's objective of getting first-hand information on the plight of OFWs in the Kingdom.
More than 100 OFWs attended the meeting, many of them victims of abuse and maltreatment and delayed or nonpayment of salaries, which is the most common form of OFW abuse in Saudi Arabia. Many of those in attendance have run away from their abusive sponsors to work and live illegally in the country.
“We thought that the delegation head, Rep. Bello, would not only listen to the numerous complaints of OFWs but would himself take the initiative to investigate the case of murdered OFW Romilyn Eroy-Ibanez and other victims of abuse,” said De Guzman.
He, however, expressed doubt regarding delegation's ability to influence any changes.
“It's like in November 2009 when the same committee came,” he said. “We doubt if the delegation can convince President Benigno Aquino III and concerned government agencies to come up with a bilateral accord with the Kingdom for the protection of OFWs.”
The Philippine government requires workers coming to the Kingdom to be paid at least $400 a month (SR1,500), but through a process called contract substitution workers sign agreements back home for this minimum wage (in order to gain departure clearance) receive new contracts from placement agencies upon arrival that states a lower wage.
De Guzman said as of Thursday 236 OFWs, 22 organizations and 300 supporters had signed Migrante's online petition demanding more action to help OFWs in the Kingdom.
Abdulrahman Parcarey, convenor of the Alkhobar-based Muslim-Christian Alliance for Justice and Peace in the Philippines (MCA-JPP), said that he was hoping the delegation would convey to President Aquino “the issues and concerns of OFWs and that these would be acted upon with sincerity.”
“Bello explained more about the (OFW assistance) programs of the Aquino presidency, but here in Saudi Arabia we have not felt or seen any government action or programs protecting OFWs from abuse, maltreatment and labor malpractices,” he added.
