Rising cases of illicit affairs among OFWs in Saudi worrying envoy

Philippine officials in Saudi Arabia are concerned over the rising number of separation among Filipino couples there, saying it threatens their image as closely-knit families. Jeddah-based Arab News reported Friday that the embassy received letters from the Philippines complaining that their OFW relative has stopped sending money to their families. "If this trend continues, the image of Filipinos as closely-knit, caring and God-fearing will be endangered," said Ambassador Antonio Villamor. The ambassador noted that many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) work as professionals and hold responsible positions in different companies in trade and industry. "Today, OFWs can bring their families to the Kingdom if they are working here with a family status. As a result, they can live together and expected to be closer to each other. What an irony that some OFWs brought their families to the Kingdom but instead of being close to their wives, they have separated instead," he said. Villamor said that while the embassy does not want to interfere in husband-and-wife relationships, it provides counseling service when asked. He also said the embassy does not keep records of such complaints. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said that of about 1,000 complaints it gets every month, half involves families whose OFW breadwinners have stopped sending money to them. Most of these OFWs work in the Middle East. "Majority of those who are not sending their remittances are male OFWs and the usual reason is that they are having extra-marital affairs," said Gloria Taule of the OWWA Workers' Assistance Unit (WAU). Kanlungan, a nongovernment organization, also reported that many complaints against OFWs who abandoned their families in the Philippines were due to illicit affairs on the part of the worker. Kanlungan executive director Rosemarie Trajano said that such cases of abandonment caused affected children to stop going to school because they have no more money and have no more food to eat. - GMANews.TV