OFW in Saudi rescued after being maltreated by employer

An Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in Saudi Arabia was rescued from her employer after she was allegedly slapped and hit by a metal cane.

Filipina domestic helper “Rowie” was maltreated by her employer last March 2 after she was blamed for his mother’s low blood sugar, according to JP Soriano’s “24 Oras” report on Wednesday.

“Hinatak niya po ang aking buhok, pinagsasampal sampal niya po ako. Kinuha niya po ang kanyang yung tungkod ng kanyang nanay yung metal doon niya po pinaghahampas- hampas sa aking katawan. Hindi po nakuntento inuntog ako sa pader hanggang dumugo ang aking ulo, ngayon sabi niya papatayin daw niya ako pag nag sumbong ako sa pamilya ko,” Rowie said.

(He pulled my hair, he slapped me. He took his mother's metal cane and hit my body. He also hit me against the wall until my head bled. He also said that he will kill me if I report it to my family.)

She said her employer also confiscated her cellphone.

When she got the chance after her employer left the house, she sought help from a fellow Filipino who reported to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Riyadh.

The case officers from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) rescued her on March 6.

“Nung makita ko sila para aking ano ba, luminaw ang aking paningin natanggal ang aking takot dahil nakasama ko na sila. Nagpasalamat po ako dahil na rescue nila ako agad,” Rowie said.

(When I saw them, my vision became clear and my fear was gone because they rescued me. I thanked them because they immediately rescued me.)

She said she is determined to file a complaint against her employer. The DMW vowed to provide legal counsel for her.

“Yung sa Saudi Arabia yung mga legal mechanisms nila magiging available sa mga kababayan natin. Definitely blacklisted na yung employer,” DMW undersecretary Patricia Yvonne Caunan said.

(The legal mechanisms will be available to our fellow OFWs in Saudi Arabia. The employer is definitely blacklisted.)

The DMW said the swift rescue of Rowie is a result of the signed memorandum of understanding between Saudi Arabia and the Philippines.

It stated a mechanism to immediately rescue the OFW from the employer and file a complaint against the abusive employer.

"Nireport namin yung labor attache natin nireport din sa pulis and now physical abuse siya eh may mga pasa yung worker so na pull out na siya,” DMW secretary Susan Ople said.

(We report it to our labor attaché, and we report it to the police. It was physical abuse, she had bruises so we rescued her.)

The signed MOA also stated that all household service workers in Saudi Arabia must have insurance that employers should pay.

This agreement is also targeted to be implemented for OFWs in Kuwait who will also have other demands.

“Nakalagay dun no confiscation of passport, rest day, pero walang malinaw na agreement on how to implement so yun yung gusto rin namin isulong with Kuwait,” Ople said.

(It says no confiscation of passports, with a rest day, but there is no clear agreement on how to implement it so that is what we also want to promote with Kuwait.)—Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA Integrated News