Some Pinoy workers in Saudi Arabia are reportedly now selling blood just to be able to send money to their families back home after they were left stranded and jobless there.
About 20 OFWs sold blood for 300 to 400 Saudi riyals (equivalent to P4,000 to P5,000) as they await help from the government.
“Para po makapagpadala sa pamilya namin na nasa Pilipinas, kasi ilang buwan na po kaming hindi nakakasahod,” one of the OFWs told ABS CBN News.
The said OFWs were part of 200 workers who endured six long months in Saudi without receiving their salaries from their company.
The Philippine Nurses Association Jeddah, Caregivers Association in Jeddah, the Amore Familiare and other community groups put up a free medical mission and feeding program for the workers.
The Philippine consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, said they are engaging in dialogue with the respective companies of the stranded OFWs there to provide assistance.
“We are consistently following up with the management and demanding that they pay for the repatriation of the OFWs immediately,” the consulate’s welfare officer said in Tagalog.
Photo credit: ABS CBN News
