KSA POLO summons recruiters over rising number of distressed OFWs

Officials of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have summoned recruitment agencies based in KSA's western region to account for the increasing number of distressed OFWs in the area, especially household service workers. 

Among the issues and concerns Labor Attache Nasser Munder raised include non-payment of salaries, maltreatment and physical abuse, sexual abuse, and lack of necessary rest and food.

Labor Attache' Labat Nasser Munder answers questions from owners of the Saudi Arabia-based recruitment Agencies. --R. Concha

Meanwhile, Assistant Labor Attache Germie Daytoc appealed to Saudi recruiters to monitor all household workers they have deployed to swiftly address problems in their workplaces.

Daytoc asked the representatives of recruitment agencies, "Are you able to monitor your Filipino workers in the houses of employers? How come some workers have not been paid their salaries for two, three,  five, or more months?"

Moreover, Daytoc told recruiters: "We Filipinos have different taste of food, how can we work if our stomachs are empty? So better give them food, or let them cook their own food."

On the other hand, Munder told Saudi-based recruiters they were summoned to remind them of their responsibilities and obligations to OFWs, as well as their responsibilities with their Philippine counterparts.

Munder pointed out, "If they can not resolve among themselves the concerns wer raised, we are ready to intervene. We will determine kung talagang sinasadya nila na hindi magko-cooperate sa amin. Then we will use our authority to make them comply. after all this is for their own good. So I want them to cooperate with us to avoid suspension." —Ronaldo Concha/LBG, GMA News