TO PRESIDENT AQUINO “HELP THE UNPAID AND STRANDED WORKERS IN SAUDI ARABIA Placewell International has a moral obligation to assist all workers recruited to work in Al-Hussaini Saudi Arabia. Not only are these workers are suffering emotionally, physically, and mentally, but their families in the Philippines are affected by what is happening too. From August, 2014 these workers were informed that they would be paid, however months later this promise has not been met. Payment should be given for services rendered - in instances where this very basic concept is not met, it is simply exploitation. To withhold a workers wage is an abuse of power, and an act of violence against these workers - without an income they cannot afford basic expenses such as food, and are left starving or in a position where they are struggling immensely, to the extent where they end up begging for food. For someone who, regardless of whether they are being paid, is contractually obliged to work but who has to resort to begging for food - well, the situation is just ridiculous. How would you feel if it were your son or brother in this position? These are educated men who were recruited by an employer overseas through Placewell, and their employer is being exploitative and, shamelessly, has no consideration for these people at all, no empathy. There are no repercussions for these kinds of employers, but those who work for them are left in a terrible position, and if their employer will not take responsibility for what has happened, and attempt to make this situation right, then the agency that placed them there should do so. If not, it speaks to the integrity of the agency itself - are you more concerned about the profit you make than the well-being of the people who use your service? Is maintaining a good relationship with an employer who you are aware has been treating Filipino workers poorly more important than rectifying a wrong? I am sure that you will agree that your businesss success is contingent upon your ability to maintain a reputation positive reputation - gaining one as an agency who places people with employers who will not pay you for months is, I am sure, not something you want to do. I encourage you to please do everything in your power to assist these workers - for myself, knowing that my brother, (his IQAMA expired beginning of January 2015), is affected is something that I cannot ignore, and I will continue to advocate on his behalf until the matter is resolved. For too long the Philippine government has not imposed a strict penalty for employers overseas who treat their workers like this, as though they were slaves. For an employer not to pay their employee, despite the fact that they are required to continue to work, and to give them their wage at their discretion (or not to) is unacceptable, as is a situation where an employer takes away a workers travel documents, something which I am sure is illegal (it certainly is in other countries and if it is not in Saudi Arabia, it should be). The Philippine government relies on citizens working overseas - it is the second largest source of foreign reserves in terms of GDP. However, despite the fact that these people contribute hugely to the country, when they are in the position of needing help, they find themselves abandoned. The Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Saudi Arabia, the agency who is responsible for the protection of Filipino workers, has done nothing for the workers in question to date. Try to appreciate and empathize with their situation - these are all highly qualified and skilled men, who were unable to find a job in their own country, and took employment overseas. They are away from their families, homesick, but they choose to make this sacrifice in order to earn a living. Overseas, they face daunting work conditions, the remuneration is incommensurate with what they are asked to do, and what is worse is that their wages are not paid out to them on a regular basis causing extreme difficulties for them, even to meet basic needs. The way the representative of the government have behaved - well, it seems as though they will do nothing, lest it jeopardize the revenue stream coming in from workers in Saudi Arabia. Not antagonizing their counterparts and maintaining a good relationship with the Saudi government is more important to them than the well-being of Philippine workers overseas. It seems that this situation will go on, and as long as no strict regulations are imposed against agencies who let their workers be exploited, this type of treatment will go on. We have a weak government reliant on foreign remittances and that is all what they care about.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 07:36:58 +0000
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