An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who was allegedly abused by her employer in Saudi is asking for help to return to the Philippines.
Through a video, “Linda” secretly filmed her boss’s alleged mistreatment of her.
Linda is a maid in Saudi Arabia. She said her boss slapped her.
“Sobrang sakit, kumikirot yung dito ko (points to her ear), yung ngipin ko, yung ulo ko…uuwi na lang ako,” she said.
When she said that she wanted to go home, her boss allegedly threatened her.
“Ilang beses akong binabantaan. Nung una, noong May, sinabihan ako na kung magpupumilit akong umuwi, papatayin nila ako. Ngayon naman, sabi sa akin kung gugustuhin nya daw akong saktan ng paulit-ulit wala daw siyang pakialam at kayang kaya daw niya gawin sa akin,” said Linda.
She added her employer also allegedly tried to sell her several times.
“Una sa salon, ibinenta nila ako ng 20,000, hindi pumayag ang salon. Kinausap na naman siya ng lalaki, gusto ako ibenta, dadalhin ako sa Dammam, mag-aalaga ako ng matanda. Sabi ko hindi, uuwi na lang ako,” said Linda.
OFW allegedly abused by her employers in Saudi calls for help to return to PH
Linda’s family can’t help but worry, especially since they have sought help from the recruitment agency and the government many times.
Linda’s story is not new, so the government has considered several times to implement a deployment ban to stop the abuse not only of OFWs.
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac assured that they are doing everything to get Linda home.
“Ang target natin dito as much as possible within one week makauwi na siya,” he said.
“Wag kang mag-alala, dito ka sa Pilipinas magpa-Pasko,” Cacdac added.
The authority reminds those planning to work as domestic helpers abroad to think this through.
In July, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III warned that President Rodrigo Duterte might consider a deployment ban in Saudi Arabia if justice is not given to the two Filipina maids who were raped by their respective employers.
Saudi Arabia said it was open to renegotiating the memorandum of agreement for labor reform initiatives.
Visit our Facebook page for more news updates.