BANGKOK, Thailand — Around 10,000 Filipino workers who worked for Saudi construction companies that declared bankruptcy in 2015 and 2016, can heave a sigh of relief after the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia committed to shoulder their unpaid salaries.
This was announced by Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople in a statement released by the Office of the Press Secretary.
It was not immediately disclosed, however, how much KSA owes Filipino workers.
The announcement came after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met in a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit here.
Ople said Saudi OGer, MMG, and the Bin Laden group are among the construction companies that failed to compensate Filipino workers for their service.
She added: “The Crown Prince, His Royal Highness, announced and said that this was his gift — he really prepared for this and this was an agreement reached by the Saudi government just a few days ago.”
“So they have set aside two billion Riyals to help our displaced workers. So this is really good news and we thank Saudi Arabia,” he added.
The OPS said Marcos was assured by Saudi Arabia’s Labor Minister that this will not happen to OFWs working in the kingdom again.
An insurance system for OFWs will also be put up, he added.
“They assured that if it happens again and a company declares bankruptcy and the workers will not get their salaries, the insurance company will pay them. So the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is really helping us a lot,” Marcos said.
In 2016, about 9,000 OFWs in KSA were repatriated by the Philippine government after the companies halted their salaries.
The OFWs, through state lawyers, sued the Arabian firms and later won the case.
The Saudi government, in 2011, promised to settle their unpaid salaries.