HAVING barely warmed his seat as the new head of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac is set to travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) next month to follow up on the unpaid backpay and benefit claims of displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
In a press briefing after his first flag ceremony as DMW chief, Cacdac announced his forthcoming trip to Saudi Arabia to press the next batch of payment for the unpaid claims for wages and other benefits of some 10,000 displaced OFWs.
“I am due to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia next month. On our list of topics for discussion with our Saudi counterparts is the continuing disbursement of claims due our workers,” said Cacdac.
“I am hopeful the next tranche of claims check distribution will occur during the second quarter of 2024,” he added.
Over 10,000 OFWs in Saudi Arabia lost their jobs after their companies declared bankruptcy and folded up between 2015 and 2016.
The Philippine government repatriated the displaced OFWs while working on their wage claims with the Saudi government.
In November 2022, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman committed that the KSA government would shoulder the financial settlement of the claims by setting aside SAR 2 billion.
Late last year, some 1,500 OFW claimants started receiving back wage claims checks from the Saudi government.
Aside from the wage claims of displaced OFWs, Cacdac said his visit is also expected to further strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries.
Among the other matters up for bilateral discussion are strengthening institutional mechanisms assuring fair, ethical, and safe recruitment and employment of OFWs and Saudi Arabia’s request for more Filipino workers to help in its ambitious Vision 2030 development program.
Last week, Cacdac was given an ad interim appointment as DMW Secretary after serving as its officer-in-charge since September 2023.
