More distressed OFWs brought home by Villar's helpline

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Manny Villar on Saturday announced the repatriation of three overseas Filipino workers through the assistance of OFW Helpline 09174226800. “With barely three months into the Helpline’s operation, we have succeeded to speed up the repatriation of OFWs in distress and provide them legal and financial assistance," Villar said in a press statement. He said one of the returning worker is Catherine Domingo, an OFW in Syria, whose family sought the help of OFW Helpline to locate her whereabouts after eight months of not receiving any communication from her. “With the assistance of the Department of Foreign Affairs, she returned to the country via Etihad Airways Flight No. 428 at 2:40 p.m.," said Villar in the statement. On July 25, Elyn de Leon, a single mother who worked as a care-giver in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was reunited with her family yesterday (July 25). De Leon complained of maltreatment and delayed salaries. A day before that, the remains of Reynaldo Rustique Sr., who died of heart attack on June 26 while working in Dammam eastern Saudi Arabia, were repatriated for a decent burial to his home in Bacoor, Cavite. The 56-year-old Rustique Sr., who worked as a driver and salesman of Spring Water Corporation, was last seen by his family in the Philippines, according to his son Pvt. Reynaldo Rustique Jr., an army soldier. The young Rustique sought help from Villar, who then wrote DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo on July 21. His remains were transported to the country via Saudi Airlines Flight No. 864. Villar, the president of the Nacionalista Party and a known presidential aspirant, has promised to help bring home more distressed OFWs and reunite them with their loved ones. Since the launch of his OFW Helpline in May, pleas for help from OFWs and their families have reportedly averaged 60 a day. More than 40 OFWs whose cases have been coordinated by the Helpline have been repatriated as of Friday. “Through coordination with government and non-government agencies, the helpline was able to act on numerous cases involving but not limited to maltreatment, illegal recruitment and breach of contract," said the press statement. - GMANews.TV