While the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) remains silent on matters discussed with the Saudi Ministry of Labour, comments and inquiries have begun flooding the department’s social media account calling for an end to the ban on deployment of Filipino migrants to work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Arabia (Saudi Arabia).
Questions directed to DMW Secretary Susan Ople flooded the comments section of the DMW post on the ongoing bilateral talks between the Philippine panel and the Minister of International Affairs of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) .
A certain Jomari Masaya said in her comment: “Marami po kaming umaasa na mallift ang bansecretary mam Ople pra nman mkapagtrabaho nrin kc hirap na hirap na ang mga pamilya nmin dto sa pilipinas. {Many of us hope that banning the Ople secretary will be lifted so we can already work.Our families here in the Philippines are going through a difficult time.
Thess Laxamana, meanwhile, hopes the agreement between the Philippine government and the Saudi government will prosper and benefit OFWs and their families.
Clint Ogas says: “Hope there’s any advice on lifting the OFW removal stay in Saudi Arabia? Approval of new work orders should begin at the earliest…”
Another commenter, Nenzie Samsacab asked, “A development for their Department of Migrant Workers conversations?”
Meanwhile, a group of former Saudi workers who lobbied for their unpaid wages in 2016 wrote the Manila Bulletin to address their concerns.
A certain Allan Dale Del Rosario who identified himself as the representative of the 8,830 plaintiffs from Saudi Oger Co. Ltd. asks Ople to act in their long-awaited battle to claim their unpaid wages from a Saudi construction company since 2016.
“They say we are protected by Philippine and Saudi labor laws against this abuse, but after 6 years our cries have fallen on deaf ears,” Del Rosario said in his message to the Manila Bulletin.
Del Rosario said he met with DMW Sec. Susan Ople in August 2022 to tackle their appeal, but it still went unattended.
On Thursday, September 8 last week, DWM Secretary Susan Ople met Adnan Abdullah Alnuaim, Deputy Minister of International Affairs at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) to begin bilateral talks with Saudi officials. .
The DMW chose not to release details about the ongoing mutual evaluation of the terms, as the department also canceled the Zoom meeting scheduled for Saturday to update the media on the latest developments in the dialogue.
On Monday morning September 12, the DMW media office issued a complex statement sharing brief and detailed information about the bilateral meeting saying: “Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople is pushing for a rights-based approach to deployment , the hiring and treatment of Filipino migrants. workers in Saudi Arabia at the start of bilateral discussions with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development last Saturday.
To help with full reporting, the Manila Bulletin asked the bureau for more details, but they chose not to respond but responded later to await the low-key details as they arrive for a full statement to the media. However, no press release has been released as of press time.
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