Saudi Claims Update- June 2024

According to DMW, 1500 cheques have been distributed to  Saudi Oger Claimants which started November 2023. After six months, payments have still not been made to the approximately, yen thousand remaining claimants.

 A source that visited one of Alinma Bank branch said that Al Mojil MMG Company has a ready cheque for its first batch of 339 approved claimants.

Meanwhile, according to J&P Company Trustee, which is Reanda they are still waiting for the court rulings to proceed with the payment of claimants.

Saudi Authorities should be considerate enough to avoid prolonging the payment for the claimants. We all know how approximately 50 thousand employees from Saudi Oger, Al Mojil MMG, J&P, Saudi Limited, Drake & Scull and Bin Laden Group suffered when their construction companies declared bankruptcy from 2015 to 2018. 

It's about time that the Saudi Government, the Ministry of Finance, and the Saudi court give justice by expediting the payment for all claimants and not imposing a complicated process for them to claim their hard-earned money working in the Kingdon of Saudi Arabia. Some of these claimants worked more than 20 to 30 years with their respective companies and are waiting for their unpaid salaries and end-of-service benefits.

It is a reminder to those planning to work in Saudi Arabia, to think ten times before leaving your country in exchange for working in KSA. Once your company falters and your iqama has expired, the best thing you can do is to stay in the company-provided accommodation since you will not be allowed to leave the Kingdom since you can only avail of an exit visa once your iqama is renewed.

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.