MIGRANT Workers Secretary Susan Ople announced a P10,000 humanitarian package each for workers seeking unpaid wages in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since 2016.
In a press statement, Ople said the financial package will be a joint undertaking between DMW and its attached agency, Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The DMW-OWWA and DSWD will provide P5,000 each for an estimated 10,000 workers-claimants, based on OWWA records. In all, the agencies will each allot P50 million to cover the financial grant.
More than 100 claimants have passed away while waiting to collect the accumulated back wages from Saudi construction firms that declared bankruptcy in 2015 and 2016.
The Marcos administration is extending the financial assistance to the unpaid OFWs while waiting for the talks between the two governments set for this month.
The President has instructed Secretary Ople to make full use of prudent diplomacy in discussing with the Saudi government on the issue of unpaid back wages.
Ople thanked DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian for extending assistance to tide the Saudi-based workers during these difficult times.
The DMW secretary said that the OWWA Board of Trustees has approved the humanitarian package during a meeting held this morning (March 6).
OWWA will soon issue the implementing guidelines for the release of the funds, according to OWWA Administrator Arnell Ignacio.
The grant will be released directly to the claimants.
“OWWA has sufficient funds for this humanitarian program, and we are ready to help the claimants, as we have done in the past,” he said
