Over P1B in wage claims given to displaced Saudi workers; more payouts expected soon – DMW

More than P1 billion in unpaid salary claims have already been received by displaced Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Saudi Arabia and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said additional payouts will be made "within the coming months."
In a news release on Friday, July 19, the DMW said that checks have been prepared for the payment of claims of 2,500 workers which amounts to 130 million Saudi riyal or P1.95 billion.
Of these, 1,375 workers have already received their payments, which amounts to 70.6 million Saudi riyal or P1.098 billion, it added.
Last July 15, DMW Sec. Hans Leo Cacdac met with Saudi Ministry on Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) Minister Ahmad bin Sulaiman Alrajhi in Riyadh to discuss the developments on the payment of the unpaid claims.
“The DMW is in close coordination with the Saudi MHRSD for the succeeding releases of the workers' claims within the coming months, and is providing assistance to the claimants and their families in the process of payments,” the agency said.
The payments of such claims, according to DMW, was a direct result of the meeting between President Marcos Jr. and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman during the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Leaders Summit in Bangkok, Thailand in November 2023.
At the time, the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince informed President Marcos that the Saudi government was setting aside a fund to cover the unpaid wages and benefits of thousands of displaced OFWs.
Thousands of OFWs lost their jobs when various companies in Saudi Arabia went bankrupt between 2015 and 2016.
Many of them were not paid when the companies closed, prompting the Philippine government to take actions to give the proper compensation and benefits for the OFWs.