Press Release
July 20, 2009

7 Oman OFWs need more help - Villar

Sen. Manny Villar said overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) temporarily staying with their agents abroad should not be denied their rights and enslaved, citing the case of seven distressed female migrant workers in Oman.

OFWs Maribel Calisaan, Mary Joy Belmes, Cheryl Gaje, Josephine Bilolo, Siony Jamindang, Lysil Laborte and an unnamed one are made to take up odd jobs and denied just compensation by their agent.

Their case was brought to Villar's attention by the OFWs' relatives and Migrante International, who held a press conference with the OFWs' husbands on July 11.

Migrante chairperson Gary Martinez said the women were made to clean the homes of the owner's friends, then were brought back to the agency and locked up in the basement. "Binibigyan lamang po sila ng tatlong bote ng tubig na pagsasaluhan nila sa isang araw para mabasa lang ang kanilang lalamunan at isang beses lang kung kumain sa loob ng isang araw," Martinez said.

The Nacionalista Party president said an OFW who is suffering from illness which makes her unfit for work should be given the necessary medical attention and prioritized for repatriation.

In response to Villar's query, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Muscat informed that OFW Calisaan, who complained of goiter, was checked up last July 13 at a hospital there. Results are still being awaited.

Calisaan's husband said that they bought the plane ticket for his wife on June 22 and expected her to arrive in the Philippines last June 29. "Noong umabot po ang June 29 inaasahan ko pong makakauwi na ang asawa ko pero hindi po pinauwi. Kung bakit hindi pinapauwi ang asawa ko ay dahil hinihingan po siya ng replacement fee na wala naman po kaming sapat na pera para mabayaran 'yon," he said.

The POLO earlier told the office of Villar that it advised the agency to provide the OFWs enough food and water at their accommodation and expedite the repatriation of the sick.

Harsh conditions faced by OFWs earlier pushed the senator to actively press for the application of the "no-fault insurance system" for OFWs, a form of indemnity plan in which anyone injured in an accident or misfortune receives direct payment from the company that has insured them, eliminating the need for victims to establish another's liability or fault through a civil case.

Villar has filed Senate Bill 3040 or the "Overseas Contract Workers Insurance Act" which seeks compulsory insurance for all OFWs in addition to benefits being provided by OWWA.

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