Group: Bring home distressed OFWs this Christmas

MANILA, Philippines - An alliance of Filipino migrant workers is asking the government to grant the Christmas wish of some overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East: their immediate repatriation. "The most valuable gift the Arroyo administration could give to distress and stranded OFWs in the Middle East is their immediate repatriation so that they could celebrate a Merry Christmas along with their loved ones and start a brand new life back home," said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator. Migrante-ME said the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration's Christmas treat with matching red carpet welcome to returning OFWs is merely a traditional gimmick to show the public that the Arroyo administration "truly" cares for Filipino returnees. Monterona named 16 OFWs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia who have stopped their work in protest of their employer Annasban company which refused to give them their normal vacation despite the completion of their two-year work contract. The 16 OFWs are Ruby Bumagat, Monalisa Nartatis, Melody Mercado, Marcela Candaba, Analisa Subagan, Joanne Velasco, Marygrace Fortalesa, Winifreda Santos, Josephine de Torres, Nhoormalah Dimaampo, Lorna Quizon, Ruth Gayadan, Fely Chicay, Jassie Sanson, Jeanette Belino, and Claire Veloria. "Some of them have been working for 3 straight years already without vacation", Monterona added. Monterona said almost everyday the 16 OFWs are sending text messages to him through OFW Jeanette Belino, leader of the 16 distressed OFWs. Aside from the 16 OFWs, there are still 139 OFWs in different Filipino Resource Centers in the Middle East, according to Monterona. This is an addition to the reported 163 distress OFWs in Kuwait. - D'Jay Lazaro, GMANews.TV