When can they come home?
Just the other day, the Philippine Embassy in Beirut emailed me this letter:
Â
23 May 2007
Â
Dear Ms. Susan Ople,
This has reference to your email to Labor Attache Jeffrey Cortazar dated 16 May 2007 concerning OFWs in Syria.
Attached, for reference, are letters from the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Damascus regarding the condition and status of repatriation of OFWs Evangeline Cabaluna, Loreta Llamas, and Beatriz Castillo. (Note: No such letters were attached).
OFW Llamas was reportedly forced by her employer to have an abortion. She says she is still bleeding from time to time. Ms. Millet, a member of Filipno community, is currently taking care of her.
OFW Shiela Dongines and Lugaya Magaluyan, both undocumented workers, are currently being sheltered by another Filipino community member, Ms. Miriam Al Khatib. They ran away from their employers due to maltreatment.
The Embassy has referred the cases of OFWs Dongines and Magaluyan to the Philippine Honorary Consulate to negotiate with their employers their repatriation to the Phiilippnes.
The Embassy will provide your office with developments concerning these cases as they arise.
 JEFFREY P. SALIK
Officer-in-Charge
Â
I have only one question, Jeffrey. When is the Philippine Embassy sending these women home? Because while Filipinos in Syria are caring for these women, I keep receiving text messages from them, to wit:
Received 23/05/07 @ 2:43 PM: Mam c loreta po i2. 2lungan mo po ako hirap na hirap na po ako d2 pauwiin nyo na po ako pagod na ako sa pagtago. pls ang hirap ng lagay ko d2 maawa kayo.
Received 23/05/2007 @ 1:21 AM: mzta po mam c sheila donguines po2 at c beatriz castillo mzta p ang ppel nmn ngkta po kmi d2Â n mam thelma kilala po kau gus2 p nmn umuwi hirp po kmi d2 mgtgo.
Received 24/05/2007 @ 2:08 PM: mam mtgln b ang paguwi nmn d2 kc ntkot kmi kc dm piliipna nhuli nang agency ayaw po nmn mangyri sna mkauwi kmi nang maaga kau lng po mk2lng sa amn awa po kau loreta.
Received 25/05/07 @ 1:18 AM: c loreta p i2. 2lungan mo po kami kc natatakot na po kami d2 ang dami ng pinay ang nahuli na 2makas. d pa namn alam kung saan kmi pupunta. hirap kmi d2. txtbk.
I have written the Department of Foreign Affairs, Office of the President, Department of Labor and Employment and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. I have emailed the Philippine Embassy requesting that they send a team to visit these women and ascertain their safety. Under our laws, distressed OFWs must be given assistance to come home. One of these women is bleeding. Another one is being maltreated by her employer. They are on the run because they couldn’t stand the exploitative work conditions that they are in.
Please, please, please Jeffrey Salik and Ambassador Dumia of the Philippine Embassy in Lebanon, please bring these women home!
Â
10 Comments
Submit a Comment
Susan “Toots” Ople
My friends call me Toots. Am the youngest of seven siblings. Our family hails from the coastal town of Hagonoy, Bulacan and we are proud of our roots. My daughter's name is Estelle and she's a brilliant debater/person. I love dogs! And I enjoy writing in the dead of the night.
So this is the reward our heroes get from this government who bleeds them dry of their remittances. I guess they’re too busy counting the dollars while leaving our people to fend for themselves.
Nakakaawa talaga ang mga OFW lalo na ang mga kababaihan na nasa Middle east.Plese huwag na pong ipadala ang mga kababaihan sa mga Arab Country…Yong kapatid ko nakauwi na rin sa awa nang Diyos pero hangang ngayon ay traumatized pa rin siya.Pinauwi siya nang parang Manager nang Agency kasi pinakiusapan ko na lang na babayaran ko ang nagastos sa kanya about Usdollar 1,800.00 ang nagastos ko para makauwi lang siya.naiinis ako kasi parang binayaran ko pa ang Lebanese na yon para lang bugbugin ang kapatid ko at sabihang papatayin daw ang kapatid ko at sinasabihan na hindi daw siya makakauwi nang buhay.Taga bicol po ako at ang managero recruiter nang inaplayan niyang Agency ay relatives nang politiko sa Albay na Ambassador nang Lebanon.SAY NO TO OFW!!!!
To Mr. Salik and Ms. Susan Ople:
I have no one to ask help from anymore.I have a mother in Syria and we havent heard from her since july. We are very worried because its not her nature not to call nor write us here in the Philippines,even on the holidays. Her last text message was filled with complains about her boss. The fone that she was borrowing from a co worker is now unreachable. Please help us keep track of where she is now and how she’s doing. She has a heart disease and we’re worried that she may have had an attack and that her employer may not have informed anybody. Please help. you can reach me on the email add here or at +639159701567. HER NAME IS catherine domingo.
Thanks and hopefully you can help us.