PHL seeks Saudi Emir's intervention for 19 distressed Pinoy workers

Philippine authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have sought the intervention of officials there for 19 Filipinos working at a concrete company in the Al Jouf region. Ambassador Ezzedin Tago raised the matter with Al Jouf Emir Prince Fahd bin Badr bin Abdul Aziz during a meeting in Sakaka in Al Jouf last April 10. "(Tago), in a letter he handed to the Emir, sought the Emir’s intervention to ensure the quick resolution of the case now filed with the Jouf region primary labor court after the employer failed to appear at the Saudi labor office in the region," the Philippine Embassy said in a news release. He said the 19 Filipinos were employed by Al Sabilah Concrete Company in Domat Al-Jandal, Al-Jouf. The embassy said Prince Fahd bin Badr assured Tago he had ordered authorities to compel the employer to attend the Saudi labor court hearings. Also, he said the Emarah would ensure that the workers rights under Saudi law and according to their contracts are protected and guaranteed. Last March 20, the case of the 19 Filipino workers employed by Al Sabilah Concrete Company was elevated by the Al Jouf Labor Office to the Primary Court following attempts at an amicable settlement of the complaints failed. Following the failure of the settlement talks, the Filipino workers decided to proceed with the filing of the case against their company. The case stemmed from the Filipinos workers’ complaint that Al Sabila Concrete Company refused to facilitate their residence permit (iqama), compelled them to drive without license and failed to pay their overtime wages. Maltreatment Also, the Filipinos filed a complaint against their employer for maltreatment. Last Jan. 27, amid a previous threat of physical harm by the employer, a team composed of officers and staff from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office Central Region Operations (POLO-CRO) went to Dowmat Al Jandal, Al Jouf to mediate between the two parties. "Initially, the employer promised to settle all legitimate and valid complaints of the workers. No concrete action was subsequently taken by the company on the workers’ grievances," the Embassy said. POLO-CRO team members traveled more than 1,400 km each time to represent the workers during all the case hearings of the complaints filed at the Labor Office in Sakaka, Al Jouf Region. Action vs recruitment agency For its part, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has taken action against the recruitment agencies in the Philippines that deployed the aggrieved workers. Al Sabilah Concrete Company and the concerned recruitment agencies have also been put on a watch list and the processing of all deployment contracts have been accordingly suspended by POLO-CRO and POLO in Riyadh.   The embassy also said that with assistance from the Filipino community in Sakaka, the POLO-CRO provided the workers with a temporary place to stay while their case is being heard. It added assistance on food, groceries and daily necessities are also being extended to the workers by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office. — LBG, GMA News