MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced on Saturday (Manila time) that the Saudi government is actively processing wage claims for over 10,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who found themselves jobless due to the bankruptcy of construction firms based in Riyadh in 2015 and 2016.

During a media interview in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, President Marcos confirmed that he had received assurances from the Saudi government that the unpaid wages owed to these displaced OFWs would be settled.

“It is currently in the process,” he stated when asked for an update on government efforts to ensure that the overdue wages of more than 10,000 OFWs are repaid. “We are at the point where only the details are being discussed. The list of claimants has been meticulously sorted, and we are now awaiting the finalization of the details with the Saudi authorities.”

During a bilateral meeting with President Marcos at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Bangkok, Thailand in November 2022, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledged to allocate around 2 billion riyals for OFWs who were affected by the bankruptcies of construction firms in Saudi Arabia.

President Marcos acknowledged that there is no specific release date determined by Saudi Arabia yet for the wage claims. “I cannot provide a definite date because it also depends on the internal processes within Saudi Arabia. However, I can confirm that they will be paid. It’s just a matter of when,” he emphasized. “In principle, they will continue to honor the insurance claims of those who were employed by the businesses that faced financial difficulties.”

As per data from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), nearly 13,000 OFWs lost their jobs when Saudi Oger Ltd., Mohammad Al Mojil Group, and other construction firms in Saudi Arabia declared bankruptcy in 2015 and 2016. The DMW records indicate 8,829 claimants from Saudi Oger and 3,454 from Mohammad Al Mojil.

In March, the DMW announced that it would provide PHP10,000 in humanitarian aid to each OFW awaiting their back wages. The funding for this initiative was sourced from the DMW, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

(ai/mnm)