In the hopes of supporting the financial needs of her family, a 24-year old Filipina decided to go to Saudi Arabia to work as a domestic helper. However, instead of achieving her dreams and the dreams of her family, she experienced hardships at the hands of her employer.
The Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) was identified as Janine Mallari, She sacrificed her time to be with her two children for a promise of greener pasture abroad.
But she couldn’t endure the maltreatment of her employer and just decided to end everything by drinking a chemical bleach. She was sent to the hospital and survived the incident.
On the legs of Mallari, bruises and burns are all over.
“Yung amo kong babae, ayaw na kinakausap ko yung pamilya ko, anak ko po. Ayaw niya po na may pahinga… nung nagpabalik po ako ng agency binalik din po ako ng agency don sa amo ko. Ayaw po nila akong i-change employer,” says Mallari.
Before the incident, Mallari took the courage to ask for the help of her agency, PHILAMASIA Labor Pool, and asked to be transferred to another employer.
Mallari stayed at the staff house of her agency’s counterpart in Riyadh for a month. The case of Mallari was referred to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and it was found out that there were no reports made by her agency.
“Wala pong report made yung agency..within ito sa critical incident considering na may attempt to take her own life,” says Atty. Francis Ron de Guzman.
If proven to have neglected the OFW, the agency might get suspended or their license will get revoked. The employer of Mallari, in the meantime, might get blacklisted.
“Kung mapapatunayan natin na may negligence sa part ng agency maaaring mauwi sa posibleng suspension nang mas matagal pa o posibleng cancellation ng license ng agency. We will also initiate the necessary proceedings against the employer nang di na makapagpadala doon in the future,” Atty. De Guzman said.
Meanwhile, the PHILAMASIA Labor Pool denied the allegations that they neglected the case of Mallari. In fact, the employer of Mallari was the one who paid for her hospital bills. According to them, it is not easy to change employers in KSA because of the sponsorship-based visa system of the country.
Mallari arrived in the Philippines last March 25.
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