Some Overseas Filipino Workers in Saudi Arabia have resorted to selling their own blood just to sustain their daily needs, especially for buying food. They have been doing such desperate acts after losing their jobs because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to reports, the OFWs who previously worked at a restaurant sold their blood for 500 Riyal (PhP6,000).
“Walang-wala na po kaming pera pang-gastos. Kaming lahat wala na po dito. ‘Yung iba po naming kasamahan na gawa nang mag-donate ng dugo para lang may pambiling pagkain,” says one of the OFW, whose been waiting for their employers to pay their unpaid wages.
“Ang gusto lang po namin sana ay makauwi nalang po kaming lahat. Sana matulunganpo kami ng POLO, ng OWWA, kasi ‘yung iba po sa amin talagana ii-stress narin. Lahat po kami nahihirapanna,” says the OFW.
“Sana po maka-abot sa inyo ang video naming ito, mahal naming Pangulo Rodrigo RoaDuterte.”
According to the statistics released by the Department of Foreign Affairs – Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA-OUMWA), there are currently 88,000 OFWs in need of repatriation in the kingdom. They will also work out in the repatriation of these OFWs in the next two to three months.
“The biggest problem in Saudi Arabia is Riyadh alone is bigger than the Philippines,” says Sarah Arriola, DFA-OUMWA undersecretary.
“So it’s very difficult for our foreign service post to respond to the need of our OFWs because of the sheer size, the lockdowns, and also the lack of manpower. And, unfortunately, our POLO office has been shut down because there are 16 infected of COVID-19,” says Arriola.
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