(Eagle News)–Senator Leila de Lima on Saturday, July 6, reiterated her proposal for the deployment of human rights attachés to countries where Overseas Filipino Workers were “most vulnerable in the hands of foreign employers.”
In making the suggestion, De Lima, chair of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, noted reports on the abuse of OFWs, including a Filipina working in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia who committed suicide after her employer’s son reportedly made sexual advances.
“Sexual harassment is one of the most appalling offenses that can be committed against OFWs—our modern-day heroes who work hard to support their families in the country—because it steps into their very dignity as individuals,” De Lima said.
She also noted the cases of Joanna Demafelis, whose body was found in a freezer in Kuwait, and Mary Jane Veloso, who was arrested after she was caught carrying heroin into Indonesia, allegedly without her knowledge.
“It is unfortunate that our overseas workers have always been subjected to abuses and harassment. They work night and day, often in difficult and dangerous conditions, to be able to provide better opportunities for their families here,” De Lima said.
“Our government and private recruitment agencies should ensure that OFWs are safe and do not fall victims to abusive employers,” she added.
