Dubai, September 06: Twenty-two household workers, who abandoned their employers in the UAE for various reasons, were repatriated to the Philippines over the weekend, the largest group sent back this year by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Manila.
Welfare Officer Mary Cimangan told Khaleej Times that the 22 belonged to the first batch in a series of repatriations planned by OWWA.
“Fifty per cent of the employers, whose maids ran away, have refused to release their passports unless the expenses incurred on bringing them to UAE were refunded,” Cimangan said.
She said that cases involving physical assault, as in the case of Marilyn Vinluan, have never been subject to negotiations of any refund because employers normally declare them ‘absconding’ and surrender their passports to the immigration authorities for cancellation of their employment permit.
She clarified that the employers, who are demanding refund of expenses, involve runaway helpers who have worked for just a few months, some even for a few days only.
Records at the Philippine Overseas Labour Office (POLO) and OWWA show that the number of Filipino household workers complaining of maltreatment, overwork, and non-availability of meals, was growing.
Philippine Consul-General Benito B. Valeriano told Khaleej Times that more time is spent by several staff outside of the consulate filing cases for the sake of the household workers, taking them to the hospital, and going to the police and Immigration.
“For professionals, there is a mechanism such as the laws on labour-related work hours and questions arising out of their employment. In the case of household helpers, the employers immediately lodge an ‘absconding report’ once they run away and the pressure is on the household helpers,” he said.
Meantime, the meeting of the proposed organisation of household workers on Friday at Zabeel Park in Dubai was cancelled.
–Agencies