Repatriation of Cebuana OFW in Lebanon assured

Department of Foreign Affairs regional director Angel Espiritu assured the family of Cebuana OFW Ma. Eva Alota that the agency's regional office is pushing for the immediate repatriation of the domestic helper in Lebanon, who is reportedly being maltreated by her Lebanese employers.

Espiritu said that they have already sent another communication to the DFA central office in Manila reiterating its intention to bring Eva back to the Philippines the soonest possible time.

The regional director revealed that a representative from the Overseas Workers' Welfare Association in Lebanon has already succeeded in contacting Eva by phone. The report from OWWA, however, stated that Eva said during the telephone conversation that there is no problem and that she is in good condition.

Espiritu said the OWWA report is not very clear since the agency was not able to personally visit Eva. He added that the best way to know Eva's condition is to personally talk to her.

The DFA central office has not yet replied to the request made by the regional office.

On the other hand, Eva's family does not believe in the OWWA report that she is in good condition. Her elder brother, Romeo, said that his suspicions grew after Eva's mysterious phone calls to his brother and sister on June 26.

Romeo said that Eva called their elder brother, Avelino, saying that there is no problem. He said that Eva was even laughing, which he interpreted as her sister's way of convincing them that everything is okay. What surprised Romeo was that Eva did not call him even if he was the one who filed the complaint to DFA.

"Kasuhito ko aning bata-a. Kahibawo ko kung kanus-a siya mamakak ug kanus-a siya mosulti sa tinuod (I know her well. I know when she lies and when she tells the truth)," Romeo said adding that this might be the reason why Eva did not call him when she had already called all their brothers and sisters.

Romeo also said that his family is surprised with the way OWWA has handled the case. He said that according to the OWWA report, Eva confirmed the attempts of her employer in raping her during the first two months of her stay in Lebanon. Yet, Romeo said, OWWA Officer III Romel Cabillo, who conveyed the conversation that occurred between Eva and an OWWA representative in Lebanon, seemed to have put all the blame on their family.

Eva's two-year contract with her employers would not expire until December of this year, but Romeo said that their family no longer wants Eva to finish her contract.

"Maghuwat pa diay ta ug six months (Would we still wait for six months)?" Romeo asked fearing that the fate of other OFWs in Lebanon, who had died mysteriously, would also happen to his sister.

Eva's brother stated that even if OWWA reports that Eva is in good condition, he, with his family, would still be pushing for her sister's repatriation and would site the employers' breach of contract as grounds of Eva's coming back to the Philippines.

Eva's contract stipulated that her work would not include taking care of children, but Eva has reported to her sister Zosima that she is nanny to four children. Her salary also was not supposed to be handled by her employers but she has only received $100 since the day she arrived in Lebanon.

The 25-year-old Eva decided to work in Lebanon after quitting from her college studies in Mental Medicine and Pharmacy. Her brothers and sisters filed a formal complaint to DFA last June 16 after her conversation with her brother Romeo where she reported that she was being maltreated. DFA first contacted the Philippine Embassy in Lebanon Monday of last week that led to the OWWA report of Eva being in good condition. - Noreen B. Napoles