MANILA, Philippines - An alliance of Filipino migrant workers in the Middle East called on the government to set up a shelter for distressed male OFWs.

“It is quite alarming that the number of male distressed OFWs is growing unprecedentedly compared to previous years,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.

Monterona said the campaign for the establishment of male shelters in the Middle East was prompted by the sudden increase of cases involving distressed and runaway Pinoy workers in Saudi Arabia.

“Yesterday, our Riyadh-based KGS-Migrante welfare officers assisted 3 out of the 50 distressed male OFWs in filling formal complaints against their respective employers,” said Monterona.

He said the OFWs complained about labor malpractice and abuses by their employers.

“We have learned from the distressed male OFWs that they have been transferring from one rented safe house to another every other day and continuously on a TNT (tago-ng-tago) status to avoid being apprehended by the local immigration police,” Monterona added.
 
Monterona said the need for a shelter for distressed male OFWs is now apparent.

“The establishment of an RP embassy’s shelter for distressed ‘modern heroes’ abroad should not be turned down by the Aquino administration as it is in-line with its institutional mandate of providing social and welfare on-site services to distressed OFWs,” he added.