Deployment ban to Saudi firms
AN ORGANIZATION of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have called on the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to consider imposing a deployment ban to the nine beleaguered companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
In a statement, the United Overseas Filipinos Worldwide (U-OFW) said the POEA must take cue from the recent visit of Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) Secretary Silvestre Bello III to the stranded OFWs employed by the said nine companies as proof of the dire situation of workers there.
“After he (Bello) witnessed the deplorable situation of our fellow OFWs working for the nine Saudi companies, we urge the Dole and the POEA to suspend the deployment of OFWs there,” said U-OFW Convenor John Leonard Monterona.
He said the deployment ban must cover both newlyhired as well as returning OFWs bound for the nine Saudi firms.
“They must suspend the deployment of newlyhired and workers-on-leave bound to come back to these Saudi Arabia companies,” said Monterona.
U-OFW identified the nine companies as being Saudi bin Ladin Group of Companies (SBG); Saudi Oger, Ltd. (SOL); Mohammed Al Mojil Group (MMG); Mohammad Hameed Al-Bargash & Bros. Trading & Construction Co.; Alumco L.L.C.; Rajeh H Al Merri Contracting & Trading Company; Fawzi Salah Al Nairani Contracting Company; Arabtec Construction L.L.C.; and Real Estate Development and Investment Company.
The nine companies are also the same ones listed by the DOLE and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) as being the source of the more than 10,000 stranded OFWs in Saudi Arabia.
Monterona said they are issuing the call amid the information they have been getting that deployment of OFWs is ongoing despite the crisis experienced by the nine firms.
“Information reaching us is that there are Philippine recruitment agencies that are still processing the deployment of newlyhired OFWs for some of the nine Saudi companies,” Monterona bared.
Data from the Dole indicate that the nine companies collectively employ about 15,533 OFWs. (HDT/Sunnex)