More than 160 “runaway” Filipino workers will now be allowed to go home by the government of Saudi Arabia, where President Rodrigo Duterte is on a two-day state visit.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III announced Wednesday in a press briefing at the sidelines of the Presidents visit.
“I mentioned to the minister of labor of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that there about more or less 160 runaways and I requested the minister to consider allowing all these OFWS to come back to the Philippines upon the return of President Rodrigo Duterte,” Bello said.
Bello said the meeting with the labor minister happened on Tuesday. He shared with the media, “To my surprise the labor minister positively responded to our request.”
During the meeting, officials from both countries signed a bilateral agreement on labor standards for OFWs which covers the OFWs’ wages, protection from abuses, working hours and “other labor issues”.
Bello said the female runaways were staying at the Philippine Embassy’s Bahay Kalinga while the male runaways were at a different shelter.
