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Thursday, August 03, 2006
Kin of Pinoy workers in Lebanon seek help
By Victor L. Camion
THE families of some overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in Lebanon have asked help from the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) and Governor George Arnaiz.
Dole provincial officer Jose Ogang said the families of two of the at least eight OFWs working in Lebanon have successfully contacted their relatives and have assured them they were safe.
Ogang explained that Rosemarie Acab, a native of Campaclan, Sibulan, and Elizabeth Filipinas, a native of San Miguel, Bacong, assured their relatives their area was safe from Hezbollah and Israeli bombings.
Acab and Filipinas are working as domestic helpers in an unnamed district in Lebanon.
"They are in the northern part of Lebanon," he said.
Ogang said Filipinas's mother Ascion and Acab's sister-in-law Virginia sought the help of Arnaiz who then referred their case to his office to avail of the "Libreng Tawag" program of the Overseas Workers' Welfare Administration (Owwa).
Provincial legal officer Erwin Vergara said relatives of five other OFWs in Lebanon had also sought the governor's help.
They are Nieves Saldan of Timbao, Bacong, mother of Kristina and Basilides Cabilao of Malabago, Bacong, mother of Jennifer.
Kristina and Jennifer are working as domestic helpers in Beirut.
Kristina's mother told Sun.Star that her daughter called her on July 16 informing them that she and the family of her employer were in a forested area of Lebanon to escape the war and assured she was in good condition.
That, she said, was the last time that Kristina called her.
Jennifer's mother Basilides, on the other hand, said her daughter informed her on July 17 that she and her employer were in the hinterlands of Lebanon.
That was also the last time Jennifer called with assurance that she was in the good condition.
Both Saldan and Cabilao had not contacted their families since then.
"Atong gikontak ang numero nga gihatag ni Kristina sa iyang ginikanan saw ala pa mahitabo ang gubat sa Lebanon pero dili makontak," said Ogang, adding, "Ato silang giingna nga pabalikon aron sulayan nato pag-usab basin wala la'y signal ang iyang nahimutangan."
Arnaiz, according to Vergara, assured to help the relatives contact the OFWs from Negros Oriental so they would be included in the mass evacuation of OFWs from Lebanon.
"Pero kon maayo ra ang ilang kahimtang didto, layo ra sa giera, dili na lang sila hilabtan," said Vergara quoting the governor's instruction.
Ceferina Topia of Valencia town was the latest to ask help, but also failed to contact her daughter Rosebelle in Lebanon.
Ogang advised them and the families of Alter Pepico, Lourdes Sarita, and Daisy Sotillo Sara to visit the Dole office this week to avail of the Owwa's "libreng tawag" program.
He said that Pepico's mother Shirley of Bulwang, Mabinay, Sarita's mother Cristita of Isugan, Bacong, and Sara's husband Ronald visited the Dole office two weeks ago.
At that time Owwa's "libreng tawag" was not yet available.
Another five relatives of OFWs in Lebanon directly sought the help from the regional office of the Owwa in Central Visayas, according to Owwa 7 Regional Welfare Officer Rommel Cabello.
Cabello, in a phone interview, said the distressed families were from Dumaguete City, Bayawan City, Guihulngan, and Canlaon City.
Cabello said that based on records, some 1,090 Filipinos from Central Visayas were working in Lebanon.
He admitted Owwa's records were not by province and based on those given by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
Livelihood Assistance
The Owwa in Central Visayas assured that OFWs from Negros Oriental would avail of its the livelihood assistance for them.
Cabello said each OFW could avail of a maximum of P200,000 with nine percent interest per annum depending on the type of help they need.
Others, though, he said do not want to avail of any of Owwa's livelihood assistance.
"Seguro nakatigom na sila hinungdan nga wala na nila kinahanglana ang tabang sa Owwa," he said.
Domestic helpers comprise the largest percentage of Filipino workers in Lebanon estimated at 30,000, said Cabello.
(August 3, 2006 issue)
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