Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 18) — The government of Saudi Arabia has committed to shoulder the unpaid salaries of around 10,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) displaced from construction companies that went bankrupt, Malacañang announced on Friday.
It said the promised settlement of salaries followed a bilateral meeting of President Bongbong Marcos and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in Bangkok, Thailand.
“Sabi niya [crown prince], ‘yung desisyon na ‘yan ay nangyari lamang noong nakaraang ilang araw. At dahil nga magkikita kami at sabi niya ito ‘yung regalo ko para sa inyo,” Marcos told reporters after their discussion.
[Translation: The crown prince said that the decision was only finalized a few days ago. And since we were meeting, he said this is my gift for you.]
Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople, who was with Marcos, revealed that the Saudi government has set aside a total of two billion riyals to settle the unpaid salaries from a number of companies.
She said these include Saudi OGer, MMG, the Bin Laden group, and “other construction companies that declared bankruptcy in 2015 and 2016.”
Meanwhile, Marcos said he also met with the Saudi Arabian labor minister who assured him that such a situation will not happen again.
“Lahat ng mga pupunta sa Saudi Arabia ay magkakaroon na ng insurance. Kung sakali man mangyari ulit ‘yan, na malugi ‘yung korporasyon na tinatrabahuhan nila, at hindi nila makuha ang kanilang sahod, ‘yung insurance ang ibabayad,” the chief executive said.
[Translation: Those going to Saudi Arabia will have insurance. So if this happens again, if the company becomes bankrupt and the workers don’t receive their pay, then the insurance will cover them.]
Marcos and the Saudi crown prince also tackled energy as well as the latter’s possible trip to the Philippines.
