Kin pleads to DOLE to bring home remains of OFW who died of COVID-19

A relative of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who died due to COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia has pleaded to the Philippine government to bring home her body despite the looming deadline to retrieve remains of foreigners. 

A 24 Oras report by JP Soriano on Friday showed Josephine Mapagu in tears as she wiped the portrait of her sister Mary Lou Ravidas, an OFW in Al Khobar.

Ravidas was a nurse for 14 years at a burn unit of a hospital, and continued to work despite the threat of COVID-19.

But in June, the OFW experienced symptoms of the virus. Ravidas was confirmed positive on June 8.

"'Marami na kaming nag-positive.' Hindi ko na siya nakausap basta ang sabi niya 'Kung ano man ang mangyari huwag mong pabayaan ang anak ko,'" said Mapagu.

Ravidas died alone and far from her family on June 14 due to the disease.

Mapagu immediately took care of her sister's repatriation, but the Saudi hospital allegedly said it did not receive coordination from the Philippine government.

"Hindi ba sinasabi niyo hero sila? Lalo ngayon they are frontliners. Namatay ang kapatid ko dahil sa kaniyang propesyon. Namatay siya na hindi man lang namin makasama. Ano ang maaari niyong magawa na gobyerno? Ginawa na ng Saudi Arabia, sinabihan na kami puwede siyang iuwi, wala kaming assurance na makuha sa inyo, pabago-bago," Mapagu lamented.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has said they will try to retrieve all the Filipinos who died from the disease in Saudi Arabia before July 4.

GMA News tried to get an update from other DOLE officials tasked to handle the repatriation of deceased OFWs, but they have yet to respond.

Mapagu said she was aware Saudi Arabia has safety protocols and that its processes were complicated.

"Secretary Bello please, please, I'm begging you, iuwi niyo na po ang lahat ng mga OFW na namatay, COVID man o hindi, documented o hindi, pinabayaan ng employer o hindi, basta lahat," Mapagu said.

Ravidas was one of more than 150 OFWs in Saudi Arabia who died of COVID-19. Twenty three of them were already buried in the country.

Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia prohibit cremation. Thus, it has set July 4 as the deadline for the Philippines to retrieve the OFWs' bodies.

After the deadline, the remaining bodies will be buried in Saudi Arabia. -Jamil Santos/MDM, GMA News