Philippines VP urges mistreated employees to come forward

A maid from Sharjah was flown home in March this year after spending weeks at a labour-office shelter.

ABU DHABI // Jejomar Binay, vice president of the Philippines, has urged his compatriots to report cases of abuse at the hands of their employers.

“I encourage those who know of any abuse or mistreatment inflicted on our Overseas Filipino Workers to report these cases to my office so that we could extend the needed assistance,” Mr Binay said at the weekend.

His comments come after a visit on Friday to a former housemaid’s home in Paranaque City, in Metro Manila.

The family sought his assistance in March after the woman fled her employer’s home, complaining of physical abuse and attempted sexual assault.

Mr Binay, who is also presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers' concerns, helped to have her flown home from the UAE on March 22.

He also endorsed her to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration for livelihood assistance.

“Christina” spent about seven months with her employer in Sharjah before quitting.

An attempted sexual assault and other sexual advances prompted her to flee and seek help.

“He tried to pull me towards the master bedroom but I managed to push him and run away,” Christina said. “His wife arrived home but I did not tell her what happened because I felt she wouldn’t believe me.”

A month later she decided to confide in her mother.

“The recruitment agency did not take any action when I contacted them,” said Mariecar, 41, Christina’s mother. “I decided to bring her case to the attention of the vice president.”

The vice president’s office has responded to more than 400 requests for assistance from OFWs and their families this year.

They included repatriation, assistance with salary and benefits claims, legal assistance for detained expatriates, and grievances against recruiters and agents.

Christina sought refuge at the labour-office shelter in Dubai for more than two weeks before she flew home.

The centre is managed by Filipino labour and welfare officials who provide counselling and mediate disputes with employers.

Maybelle Gorospe, the welfare officer, said Christina was admitted to the shelter on March 7 after she complained of verbal abuse, sexual harassment and insufficient food.

“I told her that she had the option to file a case against her employer and explained the process,” Ms Gorospe said. “But she just wanted to go home, so we helped to fast-track her repatriation.”

Most complaints by women at the shelter are of unpaid salaries, long working hours, inadequate food and sleep, and abuse.

Free training on making accessories, hair dressing, make-up, nail art, hand-painting, candle-making, basic and commercial photography, and mobile phone maintenance and trouble-shooting are offered at the shelter as part of the government's reintegration programme.