MANILA — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will coordinate with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to extend employment assistance to some 1,470 workers displaced by the lock-out of Azmeel Contracting Corp. in Saudi Arabia.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Wednesday the affected overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were formerly employed in construction and are qualified to land jobs in the two department projects under the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program.
“When I asked the displaced OFWs, almost 100 percent wanted to be repatriated to the Philippines. We understand that they are lonely and they miss their families. Since the holiday season is almost here, we want to bring back the OFWs to their loved ones,” Bello said in a statement.
To facilitate their reintegration, he said the workers will be assisted in finding alternative employment or to engage in their chosen livelihood undertaking.
The labor chief noted that the government will also provide the workers PHP20,000 in cash assistance, aside from job opportunities.
Last week, the first batch of repatriated OFWs arrived from Dammam, Saudi Arabia while the succeeding batches of Filipino workers are set to arrive weekly until December.
“To fast-track their repatriation, we will shoulder first the travel expenses and Azmeel will just pay us,” Bello said.
Azmeel pledged to give the unpaid salaries of the OFWs and shoulder the costs of their return flight, he said, adding that the agreement between the company and the Philippine government was witnessed by the kingdom’s Ministry of Labor.
The first batch of OFWs were already paid their salaries and provided PHP20,000 in assistance.
The government has started repatriating the affected OFWs after the lockout.
According to reports, Azmeel barred its employees from their place of work after the company’s assets were frozen by the Saudi government. (Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
