After a year of enduring physical abuse, humiliation, and abandonment, a 30-year-old Filipina overseas worker has finally returned home from Saudi Arabia with a renewed sense of purpose: to demand justice and speak out on behalf of others who remain voiceless.
The woman, identified as “May” for her safety, is a resident of Barangay Cabanghan in Panitan, Capiz. According to a Panay News report, she flew to Saudi Arabia on July 8, 2024, in search of a better future, but instead encountered months of trauma and cruelty at the hands of her employers—and indifference from those meant to protect her.
According to May, she was first deployed to serve not just one household, but 14, a clear violation of standard employment agreements. She was later transferred to another employer in Dammam, where the abuse continued until she was removed after just six weeks. Things took a darker turn when she was relocated to Riyadh.
There, May said she experienced multiple forms of abuse. Her male employer allegedly attempted to molest her, while the female employer physically assaulted and stripped her in public, mocking her dignity. She also recounted being struck by a police officer who was reportedly acquainted with her employers.
Her attempts to seek help were met with silence. Her agency, Jinhel International Recruitment Corporation in Makati—whom she was referred to by recruiters known only as “Mimi” and “Carla”—allegedly dismissed her as being “dramatic.” Even fellow OFWs, she said, did little to assist her during her ordeal.
Her cellphone was taken away, her belongings were discarded, and communication with her family was cut off.
May was finally repatriated on July 9, 2025, with the help of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO). She traveled on her own from Manila to Roxas City, where she reunited with her family.
Now back in Capiz, May has vowed to pursue legal action against her abusers and the recruitment agency that failed her. She hopes her story will serve as a wake-up call for stronger safeguards for OFWs.
