The National Commission on Muslim-Filipinos (NCMF)-Palawan Field Office has extended assistance to distressed OFW and her family, and through collaborative effort with national government agencies and the recruitment agency, they are able to reconnect with the distressed OFW, who is an alleged victim of physical abuse and maltreatment.
The victim, a 24-year old woman, working in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is a resident of Balabac town, Palawan. She is currently 4-months employed as an OFW.
“The parent’s victim provided key evidence supporting the abuse claims, including message and photos shared by the victim,” the NCMF-Palawan states in their report.
Her mother who seek the help of the NCMF, said that they learned that her daughter was physically abused by her employer, using hard objects, inflicting injuries to her daughter. Since then, they were unable to contact or communicate with her daughter, thus prompting her to immediately report the incident to the NCMF office.
NCMF is a national government agency that focuses on the welfare and development of Muslim communities.
NCMF-Palawan Field Office Director Said Alih K. Sha said they immediately coordinated with Ms. Adignita Elijan, Family Welfare Officer of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)-Palawan Provincial Office. Later, he also coordinated with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), through Ms. Khrizza Gacosta. Since then, the concerted initiative of the different government agencies yield fruitful results.
In Islam, helping those in distress is not merely a recommended act of kindness, but a fundamental principle and a religious obligation. They consider this as a way to alleviate suffering, strengthen the bonds of brotherhood, and earn blessings in this life and the Hereafter.
The NCMF-Palawan Field Office said that their support didn’t end there, but they will continue to assist until the distress OFW has safely returned home.
The coordination initiated by the NCMF-Palawan Field Office to DMW and OWWA has facilitated for a collaborative effort to communicate the distressed OFW. The victim’s recruitment agency, Zamboanga-based Eurasiamguest was also able to talk with the victim’s employer and tge distressed OFW herself.
“OWWA and DMW confirmed that they had initiated coordination with their counterparts in the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Jeddah to locate and secure the safety of the victim. The victim’s case has been classified as high priority due to involvement of abuse, and they are now working with the Philippine Embassy in Saudi for the victim’s return to the Philippines” report of the NCMF-Palawan Field Office said.
The OFW’s mother wished that her daughter could return home soon.
The NCMF-Palawan Field Office said that through coordinated efforts with other agencies like OWWA and DMW, it results to ensure the security, safety, dignity and rights of Muslim OFW.
