A family member of a household worker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is seeking the help of the Philippine government to repatriate her niece.
According to Lilian Escalora, aunt of OFW Mary Jane Abogadie, her niece’s contract had already ended in 2016 but her employers would not let her go.
“Nanghihingi na siya ng tulong sa amin kasi po ayaw paalisin ng amo niya. Ayaw pauwiin ng amo niya tapos wala siyang sahod,” Escalora told DZMM’s Lingkod Kapamilya.
Aside from not receiving monthly salary, her niece serves a household of 23 people on her own.
She also added that Abogadie’s employer would sometimes lock her up and starve her. Abogadie’s passport was also confiscated by her employer, her aunt said.
The Filipina domestic worker has already asked for help from the Philippine embassy in Riyadh, but she is still in the hands of her employers.
Josephine Tobia, Welfare Officer of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, promised that they will help repatriate Abogadie.
“Ang gagawin natin ay ipahanap sa POLO-OWWA yung kanyang FRA (Foreign Recruitment Agency) para matunton at maialis na siya sa kanyang amo para ma-expedite ang kanyang repatriation,” Tobia said.
Tobia added that they will get in touch with Abogadie’s recruitment agency to know why she ended up staying with her employers even though her contract with them had already ended last year.
