The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has urged Filipinos who have not been paid by their Saudi Arabian employers to avoid dealing with anyone, even those inside the agency, who offers to negotiate on their behalf. According to DMW Secretary Susan Ople, the only other individual allowed to deal with claims is Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac.
“We would like to reach out to all the claimants and their families and inform them that, number one, walang middlemen dito. This is a purely government-to-government transaction and at the heart of it is ‘yung welfare ng ating affected displaced OFWs,” Ople said.
According to OFW claimants, people not connected to the DMW have approached them offering assistance and mediation.
Following bilateral conversations between President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr. and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the sidelines of the 29th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Thailand, Ople stated there haven’t been any further information as to how the payment will be paid.
KSA’s Crown Prince promised that the Saudi government will pay the salary claims of around 10,000 OFWs who had been displaced when numerous Riyadh-based construction enterprises went bankruptcy in 2015 and 2016.
“So kung may lumalapit po sa inyo, nagsasabi sa inyo na ito ang paraan para makakuha kayo ng wage nyo kaagad or may nagsasabi sa inyo pahingi ng contact details ninyo at kami na ang magsasabi sa inyo kung ano ang development, hindi po totoo ‘yun,” Ople said.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledged around 2 billion riyals to cover the outstanding wages of OFWs employed by Saudi Oger Ltd., Mohammad Al Mojil Group, and other construction enterprises.
There are 8,829 claims from Saudi Oger and 3,454 from Mohammad Al Mojil, according to data.
Ople stated that the DMW has zero tolerance for staff who are involved in corruption or other scams.
