AT LEAST 847 distressed overseas Filipino workers received financial and other assistance from the government, the Department of Labor and Employment confirmed Saturday.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the number of distressed OFWs provided government help came mostly from Saudi Arabia who were affected by the retrenchment of foreign workers due to the drop of oil price in the world market.
He said 10,200 OFWs have been provided with assistance from Riyadh, Al Khobar and Jeddah.
Bello said the 847 OFWs were not being paid their salaries by their employer, the Kharafi National KSC, the past two to four months.
Of that number, 773 are laborers and 74 are in supervisory, engineering, and administrative positions.
Bello said representatives from the Polo and Kharafi National KSC met last month to discuss the recurring problem of delayed payment of salaries and agreed to settle their obligation to the affected OFWs.
He said the Kuwaiti company also allowed the workers to resign and return to the country.
The DoLE chief said the government will continue to extend assistance to OFWs still in Saudi Arabia who wish to return home.
