A daughter of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) was saddened by the discovery that her father and mother working in Saudi Arabia already resorted to scavenging to feed themselves amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
On June 13, Keyzelle Quitola shared the story on social media, telling the netizens that she’s not even aware of the current situation of her father.
According to her, she only discovered the situation of her father when someone posted random photos of struggling Saudi Arabia-based OFWs on social media.
“Naluha ako nung nakita ko yang post na yan ,dahil alam ko si papa ko yan. Nakakadurog ng puso makita kong papa ko na ganyan ,kapag kausap nya kami parang wala syang problema ,sa iba ko pa makita ang sitwasyon nila ni mama ko,” Quitola said.
“Naawa ako dahil ganyan sila nung lockdown Sa saudi ng 24hrs curfew,,3months walang sahod ,wala din silang makuhang ayuda galing sa Polo-owwa,” she added.
The netizen’s parents admitted their current situation and said that they’re already jobless for three months.
The netizen also said that her parents didn’t receive any help from the Philippine Overseas Labor & Office (POLO) in Riyadh.
The parents of Quitola only has one wish to their daughter.
“Kaya naman sana hiling namin mag aral kayo mabuti hindi habang buhay nalang nagbabasura ang papa niyo,” Mr. Quitola told his daughter.
“Hirap pandemic, wala kang mahilingan ng tulong dito buti diyan sa Pinas kong wala kang bigas or asin pwede ka humiram sa kapit bahay, dito wala three months na wala kami sayod kaya yan basura kinabubuhay namin,” Mrs. Quitola added.
The daughter of the OFWs asked OWWA to help her parents struggling to get food.
GMA-7 news already featured the stories of OFWs in Riyadh, some of them already searching for leftovers or rotten vegetables so they could eat.
Some of them already asked the government to help them to go back to the Philippines.
The government vowed to assist them.
“Alamin natin ‘yung detalye ng aksyon ng ating embahada roon. Kami naman po’y handang tumulong sa inyo,” Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) administrator Hans Cacdac said.
Meanwhile, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa already sent their help to the OFWs in Saudi Arabia.
The camp of the senator sent food and groceries to the OFWs by the help of Victor Gardoce, International and Founding President, GBI/ACCPI International Makabayan