Comatose Filipino maid a victim of human trafficking

RIYADH: A Filipino maid who is battling for life at a hospital here was a victim of human trafficking and “ill-treatment,” a source close to the Filipino migrants’ rights group Migrante-Middle East has said.

Rina (name changed) is in coma and under observation, a source close to the group said, adding that she is actually 17 years old, whereas she was shown as 21 and sent as a domestic worker to the Kingdom.
The group has called on the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), an adjunct agency to the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), to take action against the recruitment agency which appointed her.
Rina was admitted to hospital on Saturday, when she lost consciousness few days after she was brought to the Riyadh-based Social Welfare Agency (SWA) by her employer, the group said.
According to the rights group, an MRI was conducted on Rina and blood clot was found. Accordingly, an operation was carried out on her.
The Philippine Embassy here visited Rina last Tuesday.
Rina from Kabuntalan, Maguindanao, was allegedly ill-treated. She is actually 17 years old as against 25, the age mentioned in her passport. This was disclosed earlier by her to a Filipina that works at the SWA.
John Leonard Monterona, M-ME's regional director, said: “We call on POEA chief, Hans Cacdac, to take immediate action against the recruiting agency for violation of household service worker (HSW) rules. The Philippines embassy and labor officials were informed about Rina’s critical condition”.
According to Monterona, recruitment of underage overseas foreign workers is still rampant and that on an average, three cases are reported in a month. He suggested formation of an inter-agency consisting of representatives from the Philippines embassy, Assistance to the Nationals (ATN), DoLE-POLO-OWWA and DSWD to oversee the recruitment process.