Governments initial response

Government only pegged the

number of affected OFWs at
11,000.

Issues/Concerns raised by
Migrante
There are definitely more than
11,000 affected OFWs in Saudi
Arabia, to include those
presently stranded not only in
various camps but also in
shelters, Bahay Kalinga and
deportation centers.

Government actions/services are

restricted to only eight (8)
companies identified by PH posts
in Saudi.

Recall of two labor attaches,

LaBatt Resty dela Pena and
LaBatt Jainal Rasul.

Sec. Bellos clarifications

11,000 is just an initial number
of those to be immediately
repatriated by the
government.

Sec. Bello asked for a list of

affected OFWs being assisted
by Migrante kingdom-wide so
that their scheduled
humanitarian relief mission
this August can visit their
different campsites.

Simple recall may not be

enough. They should be held
accountable for neglect of
stranded OFWs in Saudi.
The OFWs and families also
named other government
officials who have been remiss
in their duties, namely,
Ambassador Ezzedin Tago,
Welfare Officer Dayang Sitti
Jaafar in al-Khobar, Welfare
Officer Angel Cruz in Jeddah,
among others. Said welfare
officers allegedly facilitated
quit claims from OFWs
instead of assisting them in
their labor cases.
The OFW and families also
complained of an extortion
scheme in Jeddah wherein
OFWs are made to pay SR5-10
as rental for shoes if they go to
PH posts in their slippers.

He reiterated that the Duterte

governments primary goal
now is to repatriate ALL
stranded OFWs in Saudi Arabia.
Sec. Bello apologized for the
misconduct of the POLO
officers, calling them polio
officers.
He promised to investigate all
the reports of neglect and
abuse. He also asked for a
complete list of all negligent
and abusive officers.

They also complained of labor

arbiters in the NLRC (National
Labor Relations Commission)
who allegedly discouraged
them from filing cases, and
instead, convince them to sign
into settlements despite
obvious neglect and abuse from
their employers and agencies.
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz
promised to assist all affected
OFWs, waive all labor and
immigration penalties, and even
provide medical and food
assistance while they await
repatriation, upon the PH
governments request.

Sec. Bello said that mechanics

and protocols of the Kings
order will be discussed when
he returns to Saudi Arabia on
August 15.

Migrante raised that those with

ongoing labor cases filed at the
Saudi Labor of Ministry cannot
register for repatriation until
resolutions of their cases are
released.

On the P26,000 Relief Assitance

Program (RAP) from the OWWA:
In a recent Memorandum of
Instruction, OWWA announced
an emergency financial
assistance to each affected
worker who are still at jobsite

The DOLE Sec. also stressed

that it is NOT the policy of the
POLO-OWWA nor the NLRC to
discourage distressed OFWs
from filing claims and cases
against their employers and
recruitment agencies.

He said that the reason that

they will include lawyers from
the PAO (Public Attorneys
Office) to the humanitarian
relief mission is for them to
facilitate Special Powers of
Attorney (SPAs) to PH post
officials, authorizing them to
await resolutions of pending
and ongoing labor cases at the
Saudi Labor of Ministry, so as
not to hinder the processing of
the OFWs immediate
repatriation.
He also said that stranded
OFWs will also be allowed to
seek other jobs should they
decide to await resolutions of
their cases, effective the
waiver of all penalties as per
the Kings orders.
Sec. Bello said that he will soon
order pertinent revisions to the
OWWAs latest Memo of
Instruction as it does not
comply with how the DOLE
envisioned the RAP. He
reminded the OWWA that the
RAP is already earmarked for

Php20,000 (equivalent to SAR

1,590/-) to stranded and
distressed OFWs and Php6,000
to their families back home.

ALL stranded OFWs. He also

reminded them that OWWA
funds are OFWs money and
that they have every right to
their claims.

However, only OFWs in the

following companies are listed as
beneficiaries of OWWAs Relief
Assistance Program as stated in
the Memorandum:
1. Saudi bin Laden Grup of
Companies
2. Saudi Oger Ltd.
3. Mohammed al-Mojil
Group
4. Mohammad Hameed AlBargash & Bros. Trading
& Construction Co.
5. Alumco LLC
6. Rajeh H. Al Merri
Contracting & Trading
Co.
7. Fawzi Salah Al Nairani
Contracting Co.
8. Arabtec Construction LLC
9. Real Estate Development
& Investment Co.

This will exclude OFWs and

their families from other
companies, establishments, and
government facilities affected
by the Saudi crisis. Government
should expand the coverage of
the RAP and accommodate all
affected OFWs and families,
including household service
workers.

RAP should cover ALL affected

OFWs, not only limited to eight
companies.

The Memo also said that only

those included in the PH
embassys official list will be
covered by the RAP. So far, the
embassys list only has some
6,000 names.

Instead of this, the list of

beneficiaries should be based
on the deployment database of
the Philippine Overseas
Employment Administration
(POEA). The OFWs deployed to
affected companies can be
easily culled and identified in
existing government records.

OWWA should let all affected

OFWs and families avail of the
RAP, regardless of their
inclusion in the so-called
masterlist. The reason they
(DOLE etal) will be visiting
camps is to ensure that all
stranded will be able to avail of
the program.

It is not clear in the Memo if

OWWA membership is a
requisite. If so, thousands will be
deprived of coverage as majority
of the OFWs memberships have
already lapsed as a result of the
crisis.

OWWA membership should not

be a requisite for coverage.

OWWA membership is NOT a

requisite.

RAP will not cover those who

have already received their ESBs
(end-of-service benefits) and
unpaid wages.

This excludes those who were

forced to sign quit claims by
POLO officials.

Availment of the RAP for

returned OFWs and families is
through OWWA Regional Offices.

For OFWs on-site, it should be

the responsibility of the
Welfare Officer to deliver the
financial assistance directly to
the workers to unburden them
of transportation risks and
expenses.

Those who have claimed their

ESBs and unpaid wages are
STILL covered in the program.
No exemptions.

Returned OFWs should be

allowed to claim their financial
assistance at any OWWA office.
Documentary requirements
should be relaxed. OECs,
employment contracts with
proof of identity should suffice.
As of this posting, OWWA
assessors have been declining
applications from returned
OFWs and families, citing that
they should produce payslips or
other proof of non-payment of
wages which are impossible to
accomplish. Complaints on
monetary claims filed at the
NLRC and/or POEA are not
being honored.

The only documents affected

OFWs have to produce are
their exit clearances and proof
of identification. All families
have to present are proof of
identification.

In some cases, OWWA

assessors are making returned
OFWS choose between the RAP
or the Balik-Pinas livelihod
assistance, when in fact they
should be able to avail of both
programs from the OWWA.

The RAP is different from and

independent of the Balik-Pinas
program for returned OFWs.
They should not be made to
choose, they should be able to
claim both.