An overseas Filipino worker (OFW), Hazel Darlene Fernandez, was scheduled to arrive in the Philippines today following her repatriation from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where she had been enduring intense pain while working.

Fernandez expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the hosts and staff of DAILY TRIBUNE’S digital show Usapang OFW for their persistence in handling her case after she appeared via Zoom on the show, complaining of severe knee pain while serving as a household service worker.

In a text message, Fernandez shared that she was boarding her flight on Saturday, 4 January, and would be arriving via Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport today.

Since appearing on the show, Fernandez maintained constant communication with the Usapang OFW staff, which brought her case to the attention of her Philippine and Saudi recruiters.

As with other distressed OFWs whose repatriations were facilitated by DAILY TRIBUNE, Usapang OFW also raised Fernandez’s case with concerned government agencies, including the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

The show called on her recruiters to take action, reminding them of their joint and solidary liability under Philippine labor laws.

On 24 December, Fernandez’s Christmas wish came true when she was fetched from her employer’s residence in Riyadh and taken under the care of her Saudi recruiter.

For days, as other distressed OFWs in the same halfway house were brought to the airport, Fernandez pleaded not to be left behind. Usapang OFW assured her that she would soon be home.

On 4 January, Fernandez sent an emoticon-laden personal message to a show host, saying in Filipino: “Today is my flight to the Philippines. Answered prayers! My plane will land on 5 January, Terminal 1, NAIA. From the bottom of my heart, I thank all of you from the DAILY TRIBUNE — Ma’am Dani, Ma’am Bettina, Sir John, and Ma’am Kimberly Ojeda.”

“Thank you for your unrelenting focus on my case. God bless you all, and my eternal gratitude to all of you,” she added.

Usapang OFW airs live, from 3 to 4 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, on TRIBUNE’s digital platforms, Facebook and YouTube.

Last year, Usapang OFW hosts, along with the editors and writers of the paper, won a libel case filed against them by the Philippines’ Consul General to Milan, Elmer Cato.

An Angeles City prosecutor dismissed the case and reprimanded Cato for resorting to legal action when he was found lacking in his duties as a government official before the bar of public opinion.

The libel case stemmed from Usapang OFW episodes and Tribune articles detailing how Italy-based firm Alpha Assistenza duped hundreds of Filipinos of their hard-earned money with promises of facilitating their travel to Italy.

Cato faced criticism from Alpha Assistenza victims for allegedly ignoring their complaints and later impleading several of them in his libel case against the Tribune.

Cases had been filed against those behind Alpha Assistenza, including Krizelle Respicio and Frederick Dutaro, as Usapang OFW shepherded the victim-complainants before the DMW, Department of Justice and National Bureau of Investigation.

Divina Law provided pro bono legal services to TRIBUNE staff and the Alpha Assistenza victims.

The complainants, who Cato also charged with libel, were berated by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano during Senate investigations into the scam. Cato’s libel case against the victims was also dismissed by the prosecutor.