Group of Pinay nurses repatriated from Saudi

BY ABS-CBN NEWS, ON MAY 17TH, 2013

MANILA – A total of 10 Filipino nurses, majority of whom had to work even after their contracts expired, arrived safely from Saudi Arabia.

“I am pleased that these 10 OFW-nurses have safely arrived in the Philippines after going through various difficult circumstances in their work in Saudi Arabia,” Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said in a statement.

The nurses, identified as Meldie Fabros, Shiel Marie Gutierrez, Mary Ann Ngateb, Gemma Medina, Jinky Concepcion Iguidez, Tracy Franzuela, Angelyn de Lleno, Jennylyn Alimbuyao, Precious Ann Pablo, and Sarah Lipura arrived in Manila on board different airlines.

“Our POLO (Philippine Overseas Labor Office) assisted them all throughout the process of their repatriation,” Baldoz said.

The cases of the nurses were brought to the attention of DOLE through POLO Riyadh Welfare Officer Leonardo Rodrigo.

Rodrigo reported that the first four nurses sought the help of POLO after their employer, the Safad Medical Center, did not allow them to go home even after their contracts of employment have expired. The nurses were deployed to Saudi Arabia by Mi Amori International Services, Inc.

The POLO was able to convince Safad Medical Center president and general manager Wael Ghoneim to release the nurses by providing them their exit visas.

He added that Iguidez, Franzuela and Lleno were deployed by Al Awa El International Manpower, Inc. However, like the case of the first four nurses, their two-year employment contracts ended last January 31 but their employer, Dr. Khalid Idress, president and general manager of Dr. Khalid Idress Hospital Company, did not allow them to leave.

They were also not paid the vacation leave benefits and end of service awards, prompting them to seek help from the POLO.

After several mediation and conciliation hearings, the POLO finally convinced Dr. Idress to pay the nurses their benefit claims and allow them to go home.

The last three nurses, Alimbuyao, Pablo, and Lipura, were deployed by Wright International Manpower, Inc. to Al Khareef Medical Clinic for a two-year work contract which would have ended 14 December 2014.

However, the three complained that their employer committed serious contract violations, such as underpayment of salary; non-payment of overtime pay; and unsafe working condition to the detriment of the nurses’ welfare.

Using the Single Entry Approach (SEnA) mediation-conciliation process, the POLO succeeded in convincing the employer to settle the claims of the nurses and to allow them to go home.

ABS-CBN News