Four overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), including a survivor of the Marawi siege who experienced maltreatment while working abroad received livelihood assistance from Senator Cynthia Villar.
In a meeting with Villar at the Senate, the OFWs each received a start-up kit for a sari-sari store (variety store)and financial assistance under the veteran legislator’s program for repatriated OFWs who were maltreated or victimized by illegal recruitment.
“With this assistance, we hope to be able to help our kababayan to start anew as they recover from the physical and emotional abuse their employers inflicted on them while working abroad,” the seasoned lawmaker said.
“Despite the many cases of maltreatment, many of our kababayans still gamble to go abroad.”
“Despite the many cases of maltreatment abroad, nakakalungkot na marami pa rin sa ating mga kababayan ang sumusugal na pumunta sa ibang bansa para lamang magkaroon ng pagkakakitaan,” the lady senator added.
Among the recipients of Villar’s livelihood assistance is a Marawi siege evacuee.
Among the recipients of her livelihood assistance was a 27-year-old Marawi siege evacuee who came to Metro Manila and applied to work as a household service worker in Kuwait. Aside from suffering physical assault and a gun-pointing incident, the OFW was also raped by her employer.
Another recipient was a 31-year-old mother of two children from San Fernando, Pampanga. She was sent to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in March 2019, where she was beaten with a hammer and was raped by her employer’s son.
Also receiving the assistance was a 31-year-old single mother of two from Libertad, Pasay City. She worked as a household service worker in Dammam, Saudi Arabia where she was locked up in a room for 10 days and was not fed.
Also receiving aid from Senator Villar was a 38-year-old single mother from Biñan, Laguna. She experienced overwork and was only able to sleep 3 to 4 hours a day while working as a household service worker in Kuwait. She was sold by her employers to different families where she also suffered maltreatment.