Family that lost contact with Saudi OFW in 2023 seeks help

The family of an overseas Filipino worker in Saudi Arabia has been unable to contact their OFW relative since November 2023, prompting them to seek help from their kin's employment agency and the Department of Migrant Workers.

According to a Friday 24 Oras report by GMA Regional TV Balitang Southern Tagalog's Paul Hernandez, 38-year-old domestic helper Divina Yap was working in Dammam, Saudi Arabia when she asked relatives for help last November and said that she was scared of getting into serious trouble with her employers.

“Sabi ng kapatid ko parang nagseselos daw [yung amo niya] kasi binibigay sa kanyang direkta ng lalaki [niyang amo] 'yung pagkain, hindi idinaraan sa asawa kasi nga tulog pa 'yung asawa… 'Yun ang kinakagalit ng babae," said Divina’s sister Maria Christina Suarez.

(My sister said her female employer seemed jealous because her employer's husband was giving her food while his wife was sleeping… That was why the wife was angry.)

Divina's family lost contact with her soon after she went to Mecca with her employer.

“Magbabakasyon lang daw po sa ina ng babae ng two weeks, after two weeks balik po sila ng Dammam. Nilo-loadan ko siya dito ng P200 weekly para lang makapag-message sa amin ng text kumustahin ng magkakapatid," added Suarez.

(She would be going on vacation at her female employer’s mother's place for two weeks. After two weeks they would return to Dammam. I load her phone with P200 every week so she can message us and check in with the siblings.)

“Masakit sa akin na ang anak ko ay… Mabait po ang anak ko na 'yun. Masipag po't mabait 'yun magalang. Palaisipan sa akin, ang isip ko parang naano nila ang anak ko. Kung saan nila dinala 'yun?" said Divina’s mother, Florentina Yap.

(It hurts to think that my daughter is… My daughter is kind. She is hardworking and kind, respectful. It makes me think, I think they did something to my daughter. Where did they bring her?)

The family had contacted Divina’s employment agency but they had not received any relevant information.

“Nitong huli po, alam nilang nagagalit kami, sinasagot na po. Inaasikaso naman daw po nila, hindi naman daw po nila pinapabayaan,” Suarez said.

(This last time, they realized we were getting angry so they responded. They said they were taking care of it and that they wouldn’t ignore the matter.)

They also reached out to the Department of Migrant Workers for assistance. — Jiselle Anne Casucian/DVM, GMA Integrated News