Duped OFW in Jeddah forced to scavenge for food

An overseas Filipino worker in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia ended up scavenging for food after running away from a job that, according to him, was not the one he applied for in the Philippines. Jason Ortalla, 34 years old, said he applied for a trailer driver position but when he arrived in Jeddah, his employer asked him to collect trash instead. He said he relented as he wanted to be able to send money to his family in the Philippines. Ortalla, however, said he never received any salary two months after he started working, prompting him to scavenge for food such as fruits just to get by. When he could no longer bear his condition, Ortalla escaped from his employer and sought refuge at the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, where he has been staying for two months now. It is still unclear when he will be repatriated.

Officials of the Consulate who declined to be named said they have already endorsed Ortalla’s case with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration for proper action. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration meanwhile said Ortalla’s case has been stalled following a two-week holiday in the Kingdom in light of the Ramadan. The agency added it has been unable to reach Ortalla’s employer. Ortalla is now seeking President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III’s help to speed up his repatriation. “Nananawagan ako sa mahal na Pangulong Noynoy Aquino na sana naman tulungan niyo kami na makauwi sa lalong madaling panahon (I am appealing to President Noynoy Aquino to help expedite my repatriation)," he said in a report on GMA News’ “24 Oras" on Sunday. He said he just wants to return to the Philippines to find a new a job and provide for his family. OWWA representatives are set to meet with Ortalla’s employer next week, hoping to resolve the worker’s problem. - JA/KBK, GMANews.TV