DMW execs off to Saudi over unpaid OFW wages

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac announced that he and other agency members will travel to Saudi Arabia to address the issue of unpaid wages for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

In 2015 and 2016, over 10,000 OFWs lost their jobs as the Middle East experienced an economic crisis. Cacdac stated that the department is in ongoing communication with the claimants.

“We continue to talk with the claimants, and 1,500 of them have received their checks amounting to 1 billion pesos that were released from the Saudi side,” Cacdac said.

“Just yesterday, Usec. Bernard Olalia met with the beneficiaries to assure them that we have ongoing talks with the Saudi side,” he added.

Olalia is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia this month to follow up on the second and future releases of the unpaid wages. Cacdac will follow in July to discuss work recruitment processes.

The DMW chief added that the Saudi Labor Ministry has assured the Philippines that they will release the funds for the displaced workers.

Meanwhile, some displaced OFWs reported that their names are not being processed or are rejected from the list of recipients submitted to Saudi Arabia.

Cacdac said that the DMW is compiling these names and will review their concerns before proceeding to the country.

“There are 10,900 names that are already there, but of course, there are still people who come forward to say that their names are not being processed or rejected,” he said. “We are processing and getting their names, and we will bring them to Saudi.”