The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh has affirmed its commitment to advocate for the release of unpaid wages owed to thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the 2015 economic downturn in Saudi Arabia. The embassy said it will continue to press the Saudi government for a resolution to the long-standing issue, ABS-CBN News reported.
Earlier this year, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac reported that Saudi Arabia had disbursed PHP 1.95 billion to approximately 2,500 OFWs who lost employment when companies they worked for went bankrupt. According to the Department of Migrant Workers, a total of 10,554 Filipino workers were impacted by these closures.
Philippine Consul Dean Jason Arriola recently shared updates on the disbursement progress, stating that while significant amounts have been transferred, there remains a need for expedited processing. “We hope that the process would be fast-tracked so that more of our kababayans can receive what is due them after years of waiting, mainly due to litigation,” Arriola said.
He added that the embassy maintains consistent communication with the Saudi authorities, emphasizing the importance of these unpaid claims. Arriola cited bureaucratic challenges as a factor in the delays, noting that high claim volumes and government processing times can extend the wait. However, he assured that the Saudi government remains committed to resolving the matter.
