Palawan labor officer commended for OFW rescue in Riyadh

A labor official was commended by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and by the local government of Palawan for the successful rescue of an OFW from her allegedly abusive employer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

DOLE said senior labor and employment officer Jonathan Gerodias of Philippine Overseas Employment Administration office in Palawan was commended for coordinating the rescue operations for the OFW identified as Jackilyn Berba.

It said Gerodias' efforts led to Berba's safe travel back to the Philippines within a week after receiving Berba’s request to go home on December 19, 2017.

Berba was reportedly prevented from leaving Saudi Arabia by her employer in Riyadh.

The provincial government of Palawan patted the labor official on the back for "immediately" coordinating with offices such as Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

“He is indeed capable of handling difficult cases that require complex skills,” Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez said.

In a letter, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III commended Gerodias for his "exemplary performance of duty" and his dedication to rescue Berba from her employer.

“Your quick action by coordinating with the OWWA has earned the admiration and respect of the governor in you and as a consequence, of the entire DOLE. It demonstrates that we do not play lip service to our mandate to protect and attend, at all times, to the welfare of our OFWs,” the secretary wrote.

DOLE said Bello urged Gerodias and his colleagues to "continue bringing the services of DOLE closer to the people, particularly to OFWs in need and be role models to his fellow workers." —Margaret Claire Layug/KBK, GMA News