Saudi gov’t now processing OFWs’ unpaid wages — Marcos

President Marcos said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) government is now processing the back wages of over 10,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) displaced after their companies declared bankruptcy in 2015 and 2016.

Marcos revealed this during an interview with Manila-based reporters at the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit-Gulf Cooperation Council (ASEAN-GCC) Summit in Riyadh on Oct. 20.

According to the President, both countries are now ironing out the details.

“We are already coming to the point na yung detalye na lang ang pinag-uusapan. Yung listahan ng mga claimant ay nalinis na, maayos na (We’re ironing out the details. We have the list of claimants),” he said.

“We are just waiting for the details to be worked out between the Saudi side,” he added.

While he declined to share other details about the settlement, Marcos said it would push through.

“In principle, itutuloy talaga nila yung pagbayad doon sa insurance claims ng mga nagtatrabaho sa mga negosyo na nalugi noong nagsara noong Covid (they will pay the insurance of claims of those working in the businesses that closed down during the pandemic),” Marcos said.

“I cannot say because it also depends on the internal processes in Saudi Arabia. But, again, I know for a fact that they will be paid. It’s just a question of when,” he added.

The Saudi Arabian government committed in 2022 some 2 billion riyals for the unpaid OFWs from construction firms that went bankrupt.

In his last State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Marcos said Saudi Arabia’s Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud has committed payment of “the unpaid salaries and other related claims of some 14,000 OFWs, who have been put out of work in Saudi Arabia during the pandemic, are now being processed.” — Aaron Recuenco