Pinoy Riyadh blast victim gets benefits

RIYADH – The family of Rogelio Pababero, one of the three overseas Filipino workers who died in the May 12 terror attacks here, will receive generous benefits including a monthly pension and two-year worth of salary, over and above the benefits that should accrue to his family.

This was announced by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) special envoy Amable R. Aguiluz V, after meeting with top officers of Pababero’s employer Jadewell.

"I was assured by Jadewell they would give Pababero’s spouse Salvacion a monthly penson of roughly P22,000 for life," said Aguiluz. "The owner of the building where the blast happened also agreed to give Pababero two years worth of his salary, which amount to almost half a million pesos."

"On top of all this, his more than 100 co-workers - 22 of which are Filipinos - have contributed and raised another half a million pesos for his bereaved family."

Appointed as special envoy to the GCC last May 14 by President Arroyo, Aguiluz’s knowledge of Middle East culture cultivated through his long standing friendship with Bahrain Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa paved the way for the benefits for Pababero’s family.