DMW warns Saudi Arabia OFWs vs. dealing with 'middlemen' to secure unpaid salaries

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Monday warned against unscrupulous individuals posing as “middlemen” for the claiming of unpaid salaries of around 10,000 overseas Filipinos (OFWs) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

The salaries have been left unpaid by several construction companies which went into bankruptcy.

According to Jun Veneracion’s report on “24 Oras”, KSA has committed to allocate some 2 billion riyals for the payment of the OFWs’ unpaid claims. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman relayed the news to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Thailand.

“Maawa naman po sana 'yung gagawa niyan (Those who will do such a scheme should have mercy on the claimants),"  said DMW Secretary Susan Ople after the agency received reports that several individuals who have been pretending to be “middlemen” entered some chat groups with the claimants offering assistance to expedite the process of claiming of their salaries.

He advised the public to shun such offers and said the DMW will report any individuals involved in the said scheme. She also said the agency will announce what are the requirements the OFWs need and when should it be submitted to them.

“Di sila kailangan pumunta dito. Sayang lang pamasahe niyo at pagod niyo. Kami po ang lalapit sa inyo,” she said. (They don’t need to go here. Their fares and efforts will just go to waste. We will be the ones to approach them.)

Included to those who are eligible for the claiming of the unpaid salaries are the families of some 30 to 40 claimants who already passed away. —Sundy Locus/NB, GMA Integrated News