COTABATO CITY—Former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Tayan Kabaro Emba (a pseudonym) from the province of Maguindanao received Php20, 000.00 cash aid from the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE).
MOLE Minister Romeo K. Sema provided immediate financial assistance to Emba Wednesday, Jan. 27 in Cotabato City. He explained that this will serve as her starter kit to establish a business and support her family.
Emba was among the OFWs who sought help from the Bangsamoro Government and asked to be repatriated from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Amman, Kingdom of Jordan due to maltreatment from their employers.
“Na-endorse po sa amin ang kaso ng isang OFW na biktima ng illegal recruitment, pinahirapan at hindi binigyan ng sahod doon sa Jordan. Sinikap namin na ma-contact upang makausap at mabigyan ng nararapat na tulong,” said Engr. Dong K. Anayatin, Bangsamoro director general of MOLE.
“Ang MOLE po ay may reintegration program. Target namin sa year 2021 na mabigyan ng PhP20,000.00 cash aid ang may 2,450 OFWs, kasama na dito iyong mga trafficking in person (TIP) victims,” he added.
Anayatin presented Emba to the Bangsamoro Task Force Against Trafficking (BTFAT) during its first coordination meeting for the year 2021 via zoom teleconference wherein she shared some of her tough experiences from her employer abroad.
The task force learned that Emba was a minor when she was illegally recruited and promised with good working conditions and better compensation. Unfortunately, she suffered maltreatment from her employer while not being paid for more than ten years as domestic helper.
BTFAT was created earlier in October 2020 under Executive Order 0009 through the Bangsamoro Government’s partnership with Blas F. Ople Center and Training Institute, Inc.
The Task Force aims to protect and provide necessary support to TIP victims and help them reintegrate into the community. (Bangsamoro Information Office)
