Widow of Saudi OFW seeks release of husband’s benefits

A widow of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who died in a roadside accident in Saudi Arabia in August 2018 has sought the intervention of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. regarding the release of her husband’s end-of-service benefits reportedly being held by the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh for more than three months now.

In a letter to Locsin dated December 21, 2018, Cherrylene Andres, widow of OFW Marvin Andres, said she has repeatedly asked the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh to send the end-of-service benefits of her husband but to no avail.

Her husband, a driver employed with Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO), was struck by a speeding trailer while inspecting his bus along the roadside in Riyadh on August 30.

The OFW died just a few days before the end of his two-year contract.

On September 18, Mrs. Andres was informed by SAPTCO officials that the endof-service benefits of her husband amounting to SR7,180 (approximately 1101,000) was already deposited with the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh for proper disposition.

Mrs. Andres said she immediately communicated with the Philippine Embassy to verify the status of her husband’s benefits, and was told that the process could take two to three months before it could be released to her.

On December 16, she wrote the Philippine Embassy to follow up on the status of the money. To her surprise, she was berated by a staffer from the Office of Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) for inquiring about the benefits of her husband.

Feeling hopeless about her situation, Mrs. Andres sought the help of recruitment consultant and OFW advocate Emmanuel Geslani who assisted her in writing a formal letter to Locsin.