Unpaid OFWs hoping Marcos will take up their plight in Saudi Arabia

Overseas Filipino workers who remain unpaid by Saudi Arabian companies that declared bankruptcy are hoping President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. will discuss their situation with the kingdom's leaders.

According to JP Soriano's report on "24 Oras," Marcos is expected to meet with Saudi Arabian leaders on Friday.

Eduardo Caling, who used to be a skilled worker in Saudi Arabia before the company he worked for closed, indicated that he needed the unpaid salary for his child to finish school.

“Marami nang namatay. Marami paring susunod… Di ko alam kung baka mapabilang na rin ako ron sa mga darating na panahon… dapat graduate na anak ko eh. Dahil nga sa nangyari nga na yon, tumigil,” Eduardo said.

(Many have died, and many more will follow… I don’t know if I’ll be one of them soon. My child should have already graduated but had to stop because of what happened.)

“Kaya talagang hinihintay ko yun … humihiling ako sa president natin, kay President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na maalala naman niya kami,” he added.

(That’s why I’m waiting… I hope that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., will remember us.)

Eduardo is among the 10,000 former OFWs who are still waiting for their salaries, which the crown prince of Saudi Arabia promised to compensate in 2022.

Marcos is expected to discuss the protection of the welfare of OFWs in other countries, among other concerns, during his attendance at the 2023 ASEAN-GCC Summit.

"This Summit will serve as an important platform for the Philippines to highlight the need for cooperation in energy and food security, logistics and supply chain, digital information, the free flow of goods, people, and services, as well as the enhancement and protection of the rights, of course, of our overseas workers," Marcos said in his departure speech.

"We will emphasize our advocacy in rules-based international order to maintain peace and security and stability in our regions," he added.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in November 2022 committed to allocate some 2 billion riyals for the unpaid salaries of some 10,000 overseas Filipinos employed by construction companies that declared bankruptcy.

Marcos received the "good news" from  during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Bangkok.

The crown prince is also Saudi Arabia's prime minister.

“Napakagandang balita talaga. At pinaghandaan talaga tayo ni Crown Prince. Kaya’t sabi niya ‘yung desisyon na ‘yan ay nangyari lamang noong nakaraang ilang araw at dahil nga magkikita kami at sabi niya ito ‘yung regalo ko para sa inyo,” Marcos said of Saudi Arabia's announcement.

(This is really good news. The Crown Prince really prepared for us. He said the decision was reached only a few days ago because we were scheduled to meet. He said this is my gift to you.) —Jiselle Casucian/NB, GMA Integrated News