Press Release
February 19, 2009

31 DISTRESSED OFWs FROM RIYADH BACK IN MANILA
Villar laments exclusion of undocumented OFWs in crisis fund

Nacionalista Party President Sen. Manny Villar personally welcomed today the arrival in Manila of 31 distressed overseas Filipino workers from Riyadh as he stressed the urgent need to support undocumented workers in the face of the financial crisis.

"While we welcome government efforts to help overseas contract workers who lost their jobs because of the crisis, we should not forget that undocumented workers, the ones who are the usual victims of more serious maltreatment and abuse overseas will not be excused from the consequences of the economic crisis," Villar said.

Villar noted that P250-million Filipino Expatriate Livelihood Support Fund (FELSF) created as one of the safety nets for OFWs displaced by the current global economic crisis will only benefit the documented workers.

The former Senate president urged government to set up a fund similar to the FELSF where repatriated undocumented workers can avail of loans either to start up a business or to acquire new skills.

He added that the 31 maltreated OFWs who arrived today, whose plane fare and penalty fees were paid for by Villar's OFW Helpline 09174226800 will be needing livelihood assistance when they go back to the provinces.

"We realize that bringing them home is not the only thing that they ask the government to do, they also seek support so they can start anew and provide for the family. Their situation was aggravated by the crisis and government should also be ready to help them," he said.

Thirty One maltreated OFWs arrived today onboard Qatar Airways Flight No. 646 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal I. Among them was Gloria delos Santos, the wife of Roger Gemina, the waiter who asked the help of Villar for the immediate repatriation of his sick wife.

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