Sen. Jinggoy Estrada helps stranded OFWs come home from UAE

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada concludes his five-day visit in the United Arab Emirates as he arrives in Manila today, July 6, via Etihad together with 20 of 30 stranded female overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that were maltreated by their employers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Estrada used his personal fund to buy the plane tickets of the 20 OFWs after his assistance was sought by officials of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office-Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (POLO-OWWA) and the consul's office in Dubai.

He said that 10 more stranded OFWs who will also get plane tickets from him would return to the country in the next two weeks.

The OFWs who return with Estrada today include Imelda Marcos, a namesake of former First Lady Imelda Marcos; Maricel Triste, Ma. Magdalena Mendoza, Anabel Cernal, Zenaida Calanda, Cherryl Mari Cabuatan, Marianne Sabado, Julie Seterra, Dolly Ortouste, Rose Ann Tagalog, Michelle Operana, Maricel Hermosa, Almie Salcedo, Moneria Gandingan, Noraima Abidin, Juna Arabes, Wenna Bacasnot, Edna Guintibano, Lugelyn Dizon and Rowena Gonzales.

The remaining distressed female OFWs whose identities were not yet released by the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi will be flying in to Manila on or before July 28, Estrada said.

Estrada who is concurrent Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development and of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Labor and Employment said there are 38 remaining stranded workers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The senator vowed to help the other stranded Filipino workers to return to the country.

"Well, these OFWs were among the so-called runaways who escaped from their employers because they were allegedly maltreated, they were not paid with their salaries indicated in their contracts, they were not allowed to eat, while the others are subjected to physical abuse. They were taken care of by the POLO-OWWA," Estrada said.

Estrada said some of the workers have been stranded and have been staying at the Philippine consulate for several months now.

"There are other stranded workers in the UAE and their numbers are increasing daily. I told them that I really want to bring them all with me back to the country, but my funds are limited. So, they will be repatriated by batches," Estrada said.

Estrada said he would initiate a fund-raising campaign for all the runaways and distressed Filipino workers in the UAE and other gulf countries including Saudi Arabia.

"I told them that when I return to the Philippines, I will start a fund-raising to help fund the repatriation of all the distressed OFWs," Estrada said.

Estrada said the common problems of the stranded workers include the lack of funds to buy their plane tickets to go home to the Philippines and their former employers refused to release their passports and other travel documents.