Manila: The Saudi government decided to assist thousands of overseas Filipino workers who lost their jobs at private companies in the Kingdom, and the Philippines Department of Migrant Workers expressed its gratitude to them on Friday.
When several construction companies in Saudi Arabia filed for bankruptcy in 2015–16, about 10,000 Filipino employees at those companies were laid off with unpaid wages.
At a press conference in Manila, Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople stated that the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development had requested a list of claimants in need of assistance.
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To expedite the procedure, a special group comprised of Saudi officials, ambassadorial representatives from the Philippines, and department officials was formed.
The developments came about as a result of a meeting between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that took place last November in Bangkok, Thailand, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. During that meeting, the Saudi government agreed to pay the wage claims that private companies were responsible for paying.
"We thank Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman most of all for his compassionate and generous leadership," Ople said, praising the prince's "concern for the Filipino people."
She further stated that the two governments were currently in the "final stages" of resolving the matter, which is anticipated to be completed this year. She urged all eligible claimants to get in touch with the DMW, which has a dedicated team to assist employees in submitting their claims.
Ople announced that, at the invitation of Saudi Minister of Human Resources Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, she will travel to the Kingdom the following month for additional meetings.
In order to discuss the mechanisms for paying the claims, Migrant Workers Undersecretary Bernard Olalia will also travel to Saudi Arabia prior to her arrival. Ople stated, "We have accepted the warm invitation sent by the Saudi government," and she is anticipating a "very successful and productive visit."