Pinay domestic worker rescued from Syrian employer in UAE

A Filipina domestic worker in distress in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was rescued from her Syrian employer, the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said on Tuesday.   The Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Dubai rescued Nida Lozada, an irregular domestic worker, before her employer could send her to Qatar, a DOLE news release said.   Amilbahar Amilasan, Labor Attache to Dubai, said Lozada was rescued at the Dubai International Airport on February 6, just as she was about to board an Emirates flight to Doha. Lozada sought help from the POLO in Syria to be repatriated due to the civil unrest there.   However, her employer refused to release her and instead brought her to Dubai en route to Qatar. "I commend POLO Dubai for its timely effort to rescue an OFW in distress ... This successful rescue of an OFW in distress is a result of the close coordination between our POLOs in Dubai and in Damascus, which I emphasized during our recent POLO Middle East Conference," DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said.   Upon learning that Lozada was about to be sent to Qatar, Philippine officials advised her to approach an immigration officer once she arrived at the Dubai International Airport.   Upon learning of Lozada's situation, the immigration officer called up assistant labor attache to Dubai Venus Abad, who was already at the airport.   She and POLO administrative staff Gina Agustin and local hire Nestor Canoy brought with them a one-way ticket to Manila for Lozada provided by the Philippine Consulate in Dubai.   Once safe, Amilasan immediately informed Borja and the Philippine Consulate in Dubai about the rescue. - VVP, GMA News