OFWs hurt with Bello's remark they sell blood for booze

Overseas Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia who have reportedly sold their own blood to make ends meet after losing their jobs amid the COVID-19 pandemic rejected Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III’s claims that they are only doing so for leisure spending.

According to JP Soriano’s report on “24 Oras” on Thursday, in a Laging Handa press briefing on Wednesday, Bello downplayed the report, saying that selling of blood in Saudi is common because OFWs do it to have extra money to drink.

The Labor chief said OFWs usually send their entire salary to their families in the Philippines, leaving them without anything for leisure.

“May kababayan talaga tayo na gusto nila ‘yong kinikita nila doon sa kanilang trabaho, pinapadala nila sa kanilang pamilya. Ngayon, ‘yong para sa mga lakad nila kagaya ng gusto nilang mag-inuman ganoon, gusto nilang may lakad sila, ang ginagawa nila ay nagbebenta na lang sila ng dugo,” Bello said.

“Pero iyon, dahil sa kagustuhan nila na ‘yong kinikita nila doon sa kanilang lugar, lalong lalo na sa Saudi, ay buong pinapadala sa kanilang pamilya. Ito ang malaking sakripisyo sa mga OFW natin,” he added.

Meanwhile, the OFWs clarified that they are selling their blood to be able to buy food because they have lost their jobs.

The OFWs also said they have not received any relief from their employers and only some of them received aid from the Philippine government.

“Napakasakit po para sa amin na ganoon pa ‘yong salitang narinig namin mula po sa inyo. Kami po ‘yong pinaparatangan niyo, ‘yong mga unang nasa video na nagbenta ng dugo. Ito po ‘yong katotohanan, talagang walang-wala na po kaming choice. Iilan lang po ang nakatanggap sa gobyerno natin. Wala pong ayuda mula sa company namin. Wala na kaming makain. Saan pa kami kakapit?,” the OFW lamented.

“Hindi po kami nagbenta ng dugo dito para ipambili lang ng alak at panglakad, sir. Pagkain ang kailangan namin. Pera ang kailangan namin para may pambili kami ng pagkain. Nagugutom na rin ‘yong pamilya namin, sir. Sana sir dinggin niyo ang aming sitwasyon dito, sir, hindi ho ganoong kadali,” the OFW said.

Bello earlier clarified that it was not his intention to underestimate the OFWs’ situation in Saudi.

He said he was just lauding the OFWs’ selfishness because they keep on giving all of their earnings to their families in the Philippines.

“‘Yong mga minamahal kong mga OFWs, ‘wag niyo po sanang damdamin ‘yon. Kasi ‘yong pagsabi ko ay paghanga sa inyo dahil ang sinabi ko ang talagang ginagawa ninyo ay buong-buo ninyo pinapadala ‘yong kinikita ninyo diyan sa inyong mga magulang dito sa Pilipinas,” he said.

“Kaya kung minsan, kung walang-wala na kayo, binibigay niyo lahat at ayaw niyong bawasan ay nagsasakripisyo na lang kayo,” he added.

Bello also promised he will help the OFWs apply for the Department of Labor and Employment’s AKAP program so they will receive a cash assistance of $200.

He added the department will also provide the OFWs food, face masks and other supplies.

However, the OFWs’ repatriation is yet to be determined. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News