Department of Overseas Filipino Workers creation sought
June 26, 2013 | 2:54pm
MANILA, Philippines - With the ordeal suffered by the three women of the sex -for-flight scheme, Senator-elect Cynthia Villar on Wednesday renewed her call for the creation of a Department of Overseas Filipino Workers by the coming 16th Congress.
She said the creation of a department solely dedicated to OFWs would simplify and harmonize efforts to look after them and secure their welfare and rights.
"We should ensure that our OFWs are always protected since they are our ‘modern day heroes’, and we draw a lifeline from the remittances they send to their families in the country," Villar said.
Villar, managing director of the Villar Foundation, met with the three victims in Taguig City and provided them assistance.
The help consisted of cash amount to cover the travel expenses of the distressed OFWS to go home to their respective families.
During the meeting, the 28-year old victim, who is from Mindanao, told Villar she left the country last May 8, 2013 and worked as domestic helper in Riyadh. She was raped by her employer so she ran away and sought refuge at the Philippine Embassy.
The other victim, 38, who hailed from a province in Luzon, was physically abused by her employer and was not fed well since she started her work in Riyadh last December 27, 2012.
Her employer also failed to comply with the contract after her salary was reduced from $400 dollars to 800 Saudi Riyal. She escaped from her employer’s house last February 5, 2013.
On the other hand, the third victim, 39, accused assistant labor attaché Antonio Villafuerte of sexually molesting her.
She recalled that on May 19, 2013, she went to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office to follow up her case after escaping from her employer’s house due to non-compliance of her contract. She was then directed by Villafuerte to bring his bag upstairs to his office and open the airconditioning unit.
Upon entering the room, she said Villafuerte touched her breast and kissed her prompting her to fight back and rushed towards the door and ran out of his office.
She now lives with a relative in the National Capital Region.
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