OFW Saudi Claimants Demand Replacement of DMW Officials

 Now that the Saudi Government started paying the Saudi Claimants from Saudi Oger ex-employees it seems that the long overdue payment of unpaid salaries for OFW's are near and yet so far. Those claimants who are still in Saudi Arabia managed to get their cash from Alinma Bank but those who are in the Philippines received their cheque through DHL but the cheque is in Saudi Riyals and the local banks are not accepting it. Some managed to deposit the cheque in the Landbank of the Philippines but the cheque was returned to them. 

There are still more ex-employees from Saudi Oger who are yet to receive their pay cheques and more claimants from other companies like MMG, Arabtec, J&P etc. are yet to receive any information from the Department of Migrant Workers if they will get paid as promised by Saudi Government that nine construction companies that went on bankruptcy will get paid.

The only time DMW officials will give information is when the spokesperson of claimants from different companies will chase them to hold a meeting. The supposed to be focal person, USec Olalia never gave any update at least on the DMW page about the Status of the Claims. Earlier they have mentioned that the payment would be Government to Government but it never happened and they were not aware that the Ministry of Finance already started processing the payment.

The OFWs who were considered "bagong bayani" deserved better service from better officials who were compassionate enough to deal with the issues of OFWs.

DMW Warns Public for Fake Job Offer from Maritime Firm

 Officer in Charge Hans Leo Cacdac lead the DMW team in shutting down fake maritime consultancy that offers fake jobs. The advisory was released by the Department of Migrant Workers on 07 September 2023.

An applicant named, Ernesto stated that he was promised by RTM a job as Chief Cook onboard a container vessel in Dubai with a monthly salary of US$900, or the equivalent of P51,300. In exchange, Ernesto was asked to pay a total of P105,000 at RTM’s office representing alleged “consultancy” fees for finding him the overseas job.

Dino, meanwhile, applied for the position of Engine Cadet with a promised salary of US$350, or approximately P20,000, per month. He was asked by RTM to cough up P140,000 as consultation fee for the job placement.

𝐃𝐌𝐖 𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) this morning closed down the offices of R. T. M. Maritime Consultancy Services Corp (RTM, for short) for alleged illegal recruitment activities and unauthorized collection of fees.

The closure operation was led by DMW Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac along with Undersecretary Bernard P. Olalia, head of the DMW’s Licensing and Adjudication Services cluster, Assistant Secretary Francis de Guzman, and Atty. Geraldine Mendez, Chief of the department’s Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB).

With the assistance of personnel from the  Parañaque City police and Barangay Sto. Niño officials, Cacdac padlocked RTM’s offices located at the 2nd floor of the J & P Building along Ninoy Aquino Avenue in Santo Nino, Paranaque City.

“We cannot allow these unlicensed agencies posing as ‘consultancy firms’ to continue offering supposedly lucrative job postings to our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and goading them to pay excessive amounts of money. This is criminal and unconscionable,” Cacdac said.

The closure comes in the wake of email complaints sent separately by “Ernesto” and “Dindo” (not their real names) to the DMW earlier this year.

Both Ernesto and Dino applied for their alleged jobs in the first quarter of 2023. After waiting several months for their deployment, they decided to file their complaints with the DMW.

The department conducted initial surveillance operations of RTM’s activities in March while a follow-up surveillance operation was undertaken in June to bolster the DMW’s case against RTM.

In summary, the DMW determined that RTM does not have a valid license  or accreditation from the department; it received and processed applications and referred these to its partner manning agency; and it collected “consultation” fees ranging from P105,000 to as much as P140,000 from their applicants who were promised fake jobs as seafarers in Dubai – this despite a no placement fee policy for seafarers.

Charges of illegal recruitment are being readied against the officers and personnel of RTM Maritime Consultancy Corp.

The DMW is also urging other victims of RTM Maritime Consultancy Corp to visit the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) so they may be assisted in filing their complaints and cases against the illegal recruitment agency. They may also be contacted through their Facebook page at  https://www.facebook.com/airbranch or email at mwpb@dmw.gov.ph and also through

Pres. Marcos SONA 2023 to Include Saudi Claims as Accomplishment?

The Department of Migrant Workers  invite you to view the President’s 2nd State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 24th at 4:00 pm.

Join us as we hear President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s inspiring vision for a united nation. Let us come together, bound by shared aspirations and a steadfast commitment to progress, and rally as one nation, one people, to collectively build a better future.

The SONA will be live-streamed on DMW's Facebook page.

Saudi Claimants are now seeking an update from the Department of Migrant Workers but the page seems not responding to their inquiries. earlier, DMW Secretary Susan Ople said that hte talk for the payment of the unpaid salaries are on the final stages already during their visit in Saudi Arabia but after two months there seems to be a news black-out since DMW official intended not to give any update after numerous press releases that the affected OFW's will get their remuneration anytime soon.

According to Thess Credo: "Isang accomplishment na pwedeng ipagmalaki sa SONA kung yung mga Claims ng mga worker sa Saudi ay naibigay, hanggang ngayon 8 years na naghihintay pa din, marami nang namatay, at mga Senior pero wala pa ding update kung kelan maibibigay, OFW bagong Bayani, pero ung hinihintay na unpaid salary di man lang maipaglaban."

Hopefully, President Marcos will not include in his SONA the unpaid salaries of our Overseas Filipino Workers who seek justice and payment from Saudi Government since the DMW fails to do so.

To Read the Full Transcript of President Marcos SONA 2023, please click HERE!