ABU DHABI – Former President Joseph Estrada will personally meet the 35 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) he helped repatriated to the country upon their arrival today at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) 1, according to Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada.
Senator Estrada said the repatriation of the OFWs (five from Dubai and 30 from Abu Dhabi) was the fulfillment of his father’s promise to the distressed OFWs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to help them return to the country when they had a stopover in Dubai and Abu Dhabi last June.
He said the Senate bicameral conference committee, which he chairs, is expected to finalize the approval of his proposed amendments to the Migrant Workers’ Act, which will require recruitment agencies in the country to insure every OFW.
“If an OFW dies, his family will get a certain amount. If you fail to get a job in your country of destination, you will receive a $100 subsistence allowance every month for a period of six months. The recruitment agencies will pay the insurance premium of each OFW. This will be compulsory on the part of the recruitment agencies before the OFWs will leave the Philippines. This will ensure their protection,” Estrada said.
He said millions of OFWs in various parts of the world remitted $14 billion to the country last year.
“My father was saddened by the sufferings of the OFWs when we visited Dubai and Abu Dhabi last June. He gave me a standing order to prepare their repatriation. That is why I am here now,” Estrada said.
He said his amendatory bill on the Migrant Workers’ Act has a counterpart in the House of Representatives, which was authored by Congressman Way Kurat Zamora.
“The migrant workers act has many loopholes,” Estrada said.
The repatriated OFWs were either raped, maltreated, or were not given salaries or their employers did not comply with the contracts they had signed.
Probe on Pinoy’s death
Meanwhile, The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia has issued a formal request asking authorities to investigate the death of a Filipino at the Jeddah Deportation Center.
Ezzedin Tago, Philippine Consul General in Jeddah, reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that they have already sent a formal communication asking for a probe on the death of Edward Cuano last Aug. 16 while under custody at the deportation center.
Cuano was apprehended by Saudi police authorities on Aug. 8 for violation of immigration laws and was brought to the deportation center for investigation.
He allegedly suffered chest pains and died on Aug. 16.
The DFA has informed Cuano’s family of his demise and continues to update them on developments.
The Consulate said that it continues to make representations with Saudi authorities on the matter. – With Rainier Allan Ronda