DFA: 14 distressed OFWs repatriated from Malaysia

At least 14 distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were repatriated from Malaysia last December 2, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Monday. The DFA said the distressed Filipinos departed Kuala Lumpur on board an Air Asia flight that arrived at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Pampanga last Thursday. "Most of the distressed workers came and worked in Malaysia under tourist visas and ran away from their employers due to non-payment of salaries and the non-issuance of valid work permits," the DFA said in its website. Upon their arrival, they were met by officials from the DFA Regional Consular Office (DFA-RCO) in Pampanga, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Region III The Philippine Embassy's Assistance-to-Nationals Unit worked out the early release of their exit passes while the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Kuala Lumpur paid for their overstaying fines and plane fare. The repatriation of the distressed nationals is the latest in a series of mass repatriation done by the Embassy. Meanwhile, the DFA and the Embassy reiterated their advisory to Filipinos not to go to Malaysia as "tourist workers" as they would be vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. - KBK, GMANews.TV