Last jailed seaman in UAE home Sunday

Homeward bound.

The remaining overseas Filipino worker (OFW) jailed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for non-payment of bank loans worth 1.8 million dirhams (P27 million) is expected to come home tomorrow after First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo successfully negotiated for his release.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said Nicasio Dagasa, 46, is scheduled to arrive at 12:40 p.m. tomorrow via Gulf Air Flight GF 254.

Some 22 OFWs returned to the Philippines from Abu Dhabi in the UAE after being imprisoned for three years due to non-payment of bank loans.

Dagasa was left behind due to legal problems, his 25-year-old son, Albert, said. Albert was among the OFWs who arrived with the First Gentleman.

The OFWs were accompanied by Mr. Arroyo and special envoy to the Gulf Cooperation Council Amable Aguiluz V, who both negotiated for the OFWs’ release.

The President and Mr. Arroyo also hosted a luncheon for the OFWs and their families at Malacañang, where he announced that the repatriated OFWs will receive welfare assistance under the Philippine Reintegration Program of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

Under this program, each of the OFWs will receive minimal interest livelihood loans of P100,000 so they could start up small businesses through the Land Bank of the Philippines. The OWWA reintegration program also includes retraining courses, scholarships for OFWs’ children counseling, job referrals and job placement.

The repatriated OFWs were met on arrival Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) pre-departure lounge by 133 family members in a tearful and emotionally charged reunion. They arrived at 12:40 on board Gulf Air Flight GF 254.

The reunion took on the cast of a political rally Wednesday, as streamers hung inside NAIA’s Gate 9 and Mr. Arroyo delivered a speech that underscored his wife’s order that he and Aguiluz should not fail in their efforts to free the jailed OFWs.

"What (President Arroyo) told me was that we were not to return home without our countrymen," he said in Filipino. "So I brought them with me and they are here now and I thank God, primarily the Lord Jesus Christ (for this)."

Mr. Arroyo said the release of the 23 OFWs "became a political decision because (the UAE government) want to have closer ties with the Philippines and we, in turn, want to have closer ties (with the UAE). This was like a personal diplomacy."

Speaking of the OFWs and their relatives, he said, "I saw their emotion and I was very touched. All our efforts are worth it. If we see our countrymen with their families, with their children, all the efforts of those who worked on this are very much worth it."

"Here we could see that the government is always here to help," he added. "We could never forget you. If there are problems, the government will do the best they can to help you out."

Repatriated Wednesday were the younger Dagasa, Nestor Agustin, Mario Algodon, Ildefonso Amul, Frederick Caramoan, Jose Dias, Rogelio Gariando, Paulito and Marianito Gimena, Antonio Hafalla Jr., Danilo Padilla, Samuel Ramirez, Edward Reyes, Rufino Sawali, Marcelino Silan, Joel Sumalde,

Alvin John Tayao, Renato Tejero, Ronnie Valdez, Frederick Vertudez, Johnny Villasoto and Leonardo Zapata.

The Dagasas’ relatives said the OFWs had been recruited by the AJEC Recruitment Agency in Manila.

Aguiluz said the OFWs were duped by their boss into signing bank loans and were arrested, convicted of non-payment of bank loans and sentenced to four months’ imprisonment. After this, the National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah sued for the payment of 1.8 million dirhams in loan dues.

Aguiluz was able to secure in July an agreement with the Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah that allowed the release of the 23 Filipinos after the Philippines pays 600,000 dirhams (P9 million) to the government of Ras Al Khaimah.

Aguiluz describe the OFWs as "losing hope and overly cynical of their fate," when he first met them. "I told them, no matter what happens, don’t let go (of hope) as I conveyed to them the President’s promise that we will bring them back."