Go jump off building, official allegedly tells OFW in distress

Repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFW) renewed their call to remove a welfare officer in Riyadh from his position, this time for allegedly advising a caregiver in distress to jump off the building when she sought assistance. The complaining caregiver, who was repatriated just this week, was accompanied by other repatriated OFWs and migrant rights’ group Migrante International when she went to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) on Friday. The caregiver who requested anonymity formally filed charges of grave misconduct and neglect of duties against welfare officer Nestor Burayag of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh. “Tinawagan ko si Mr. Burayag para magpasaklolo dahil hindi ko na matagalan ang pang-aabuso ng employer ko sa akin. Pero sinabihan niya lang ako na tumalon mula sa third floor ng aming building para raw may dahilan para matulungan niya ako," the caregiver said in a statement released through Migrante. (I called Mr. Burayag to ask for help as I can no longer tolerate my superior who has been abusing me. But he only told me to jump from the third floor of our building so he’ll have a reason to help me.) The caregiver said she was abused several times by her site manager since January, and complained that her mobile phone and ATM card were likewise confiscated. She reported her plight to the management of Annasban Group which deployed her but never received help. It was then that she decided to seek help from the Philippine officials there. No such advice, says Burayag However, in a separate interview Burayag denied having made the remark but said the caregiver indeed sought assistance from his office. “Hindi ako nagpayo na tumalon siya mula sa building (I did not advise her to jump off the building)," Burayag told GMANews.TV over the phone. “Humingi siya ng tulong sa amin, sabi ay inaabuso raw siya. Sabi ko, gumawa siya ng paraan para makalabas ng building (She asked for help, saying she was being abused. I told her to find a way to get out of their building)," he added. Burayag likewise admitted that the Embassy’s Repatriation and Assistance Division, which he heads, was unable to assist the caregiver as she allegedly could not decide then whether to file formal charges against her superior. The caregiver’s colleagues, also women caregivers of Annasban, earlier filed before OWWA a separate complaint against Burayag for allegedly neglecting OFWs in distress. They accused him of delaying their repatriation by not securing exit visas from Annasban, as well as failing to provide them food, water and medicine during their stay inside a company-owned facility when they stopped working. The workers also claimed Burayag forced them to pay 2,500 to 6,500 Saudi riyals (about P31,000 to P80,000) each for their repatriation, instead of negotiating with Annasban to waive deployment costs, shoulder their airfare, and provide compensation for supposedly violating their employment contracts. They likewise demanded the speedy repatriation of some 30 more OFWs who have stopped working and are still stranded in a facility owned by Annasban. OWWA defends Burayag In a separate interview, OWWA administrator Carmelita Dimzon defended Burayag and said he was able to set some of the remaining OFWs in Annasban for repatriation. “He was able to schedule the workers for repatriation, including two who are reportedly sick. We are now booking the tickets for 18 workers," Dimzon told GMANews.TV. Since neither Annasban nor the workers’ recruitment agencies have agreed to shoulder their airfare, OWWA will pay for the tickets in the meantime, she said. She added that the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) will be asked to compel the company and the agencies to reimburse the cost. Dimzon added they will still investigate the latest accusation lodged against Burayag, but expressed doubts that Burayag indeed told the caregiver to jump off the building. “I’ll have to get the facts straight from the post. Burayag should be given a chance to be heard, (but) do you really think Burayag can say such things?" Dimzon explained. Burayag refused to comment on the first complaint filed against him. Migrante meanwhile scored Burayag’s alleged neglect of OFWs in distress, saying his attitude is reflective of the government’s general disregard for the welfare of OFWs “They really do not pay attention to the well-being of our kababayans. In truth, many of them connive with foreign employers such as Annasban in subjecting Filipino workers to dire conditions. They treat OFWs as commodities and are only after the remittances of these overseas workers," said Migrante chairperson Garry Martinez. - GMANews.TV