By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Showing compassion in line with the spirit of Christmas, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Monday (18 December 2023), distributed P55,000 to each of the abused Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who arrived from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Those with children received an additional P5,000.

Maharlika NuMedia learned that the 50 OFWs were recipients of financial assistance from the government’s “Pamaskong Salubong 2023” program.

The “Pamaskong Salubong” is a yearly program of the government as a way of showing appreciation for the OFWs’ contribution to the country.

One of these distressed OFWs was Jeanie Banaag, 44, who experienced maltreatment during her three months in Riyadh.

She claimed that her employer did not give her food and locked her inside the house.

This compelled Banaag to seek help from the Philippine Embassy which immediately took action and helped her get home.

With her harrowing experience, Banaag remarked that she would no longer work abroad and would try to make ends meet in the Philippines for her child.

Even the vacationing migrant workers were also welcomed by a choir and received loot bags from the “Pamaskong Salubong” program.

(ai/mnm)

By Junex Doronio

BRAVING Israeli air strikes that have flattened some residential buildings in the Gaza strip, around 200 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) seemed determined to stay put and did not ask to be repatriated to the Philippines.

This was revealed by former popular television host and now Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Arnell Ignacio.

“Sa 200 OFWs dito sa affected areas sa Gaza Strip, dito tayo nakatutok… Sa experience namin with Israel, kadalasan sa mga pangyayaring ganito, bihira ang nagre-request for repatriation,” OWWA Administrator Arnell Ignacio disclosed in his interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

On early Monday, Israeli officials confirmed that over 700 Israeli civilians and members of the military had died since Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel from Gaza early Saturday morning.

Gaza is a Palestinian exclave on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

During the so-called Six-Day War in 1967, Israel captured Gaza.

In 2006, Hamas won local elections in Gaza and then took sole control of it in 2007.

But despite Hamas’ electoral victory,  Gaza has been under a strict Israeli blockade, dependent on the Israeli government for electricity, water, and telecommunications.

The Hamas militants launched the “surprise attack” on Israel last Saturday in response to what they claimed mounting Palestinian suffering under Israel’s occupation and blockade of Gaza.

More than 24,800 Filipinos are in Israel and many of them are caregivers, followed by hotel workers and service sector workers, the OWWA chief said.

Ignacio further said that the five caregivers employed in Gaza have been found while they are still waiting for updates regarding six others.

“Sa kabuuan ng Israel, mayroong tayong mga 24,807 [na mga Pilipino]. Pero dito sa nabanggit nating area na kritikal dito sa Gaza Strip — ‘yung Ashkelon, Ashdod, Sderot, estimated natin mga 200 OFWs ang meron tayo,” he added. (ai/mnm)