An Overseas Filipino Worker in New Zealand captured the attention of a resident after he was found eating boiled dog bones and charity parcels.
Sarah Brunton who is from Christchurch said that she saw Kim Villaranda outside her home sleeping.
She knew at that moment that she has to raise awareness that Kiwis (New Zealand’s citizens) should not tolerate exploitation.
“I couldn’t look the other way,” Brunton told Stuff New Zealand.
Villaranda thanked Brunton for her kindness and assisting him for filing charges against his employers. He is now waiting for his working visa to be renewed.
“It’s a blessing that someone hears my problems because I’m just nobody here in New Zealand, I’m just a worker, just a migrant and I don’t know your law,” Villaranda said.
The Foreign Department said they are concerned with Villaranda’s condition and they are determined to put a labor office in New Zealand before year-end.
Villaranda came to New Zealand as a qualified plumber. He complained that maltreatment by Derek Chiu, his employer and the owner of Christchurch company ULS Limited which trades as Urban Flooring.
Although hired as an assistant warehouse manager, Villaranda says he worked long hours laying carpets. Chiu has ignored his complaints.
“He said just do it, if you want a job, if you don’t, just go home,” he said.
Villaranda has three children and a wife that all needs to survive. He also has to pay his debt of $15,000 for his recruitment fee to go to New Zealand.
As he struggled financially he had no other choice but to eat charity parcel and boiled dog bones.
I don’t want to be in this situation because I came here to work,” Villaranda said.
Chiu fobbed him off when he protested.
Photo screengrabbed from Stuff
