THE Gabriela Women’s Party has filed a resolution at the House of Representatives seeking an inquiry in aid of legislation into the efforts of the Philippine Government, in particular the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Labor and Employment, to address the plight of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the crisis in Saudi Arabia.
“President Duterte has already acknowledged the crisis in the Middle East and its impact on our OFWs. In fact, different government agencies have already conducted missions and formed response teams to provide assistance to OFWs in distress in Saudi Arabia. These efforts, however, were not enough,” Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus said as the group filed House Resolution 625.
De Jesus said thousands of OFWs remain stranded in shelters all over Saudi Arabia, suffering from inhumane conditions, and needing repatriation, humanitarian, and legal assistance.
Saudi Arabia remains the top destination of OFWs and second only to the United States as the country’s main source of remittances. In 2015, one in every four or 24.7 percent of all OFWs was deployed here, according to Philippine Statistics Authority data.