Solon finds no distressed OFW in Bahrain


At a glance

  • An empty Bahay Kalinga in Bahrain shows Kabayan Party-list Rep. Ron Salo that they are no homeless and distressed OFWs in the Middle Eastern country.

  • (Photo from Unsplash)


Kabayan Party-list Rep. Ron Salo recently visited a country in the Middle East that apparently did not have a single distressed overseas Filipino worker (OFW) needing shelter at the Philippine government-run Bahay Kalinga there.

That country is the Kingdom of Bahrain.

“We are satisfied that in our visit, there are no homeless and distressed OFWs in Bahrain needing refuge in the Bahay Kalinga. This is a good sign that our OFWs are taken good care of here in Bahrain,” said Salo, who works closely with migrant Filipinos in his capacity as House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs chairman.

Salo recently had a consultation meeting with the Filipino community in Bahrain as he attended the 146th Assembly of the Interparliamentary Union (IPU). In his visit, he was warmly welcomed by Ambassador Anne Jalando-On Louis and Labor Attache to Bahrain, lawyer Vicente Cabe.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to visit our Kabayans in Bahrain and listen to their stories...I am impressed by their resilience and hard work. Thus, we need to ensure that their welfare and protection are prioritized, and I will work towards this goal," he said.

Salo also met with foreign recruitment agencies in Bahrain and secured their commitment in ensuring the protection of OFWs.

“I reminded the recruitment agencies to ensure the protection of our OFWs. In turn, they assured us that they conduct the necessary interviews and background check on their employers.”

The foreign recruitment agencies requested Salo to ensure that Filipino household service workers (HSW) are briefed of the norms in Bahrain before their deployment.

“I was also asked to ensure that our HSWs are properly briefed of the laws, culture, and norms in Bahrain before deployment, and that they are endowed with the appropriate skills for their jobs,” Salo explained.

“They can rest assured that we will remind our private recruitment agencies in the Philippines to properly train and brief our OFWs before sending them,” added the solon.