Susan Ople of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center talks to some of the wives of stranded Pinoy bus drivers in Dubai

Filipino bus drivers stranded in Dubai may soon find work in Qatar.

This was the latest development communicated by Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito Roque to the Blas F. Ople Policy Center headed by Susan Ople, a former labor undersecretary.

Ople said Roque, in a telephone call, gave his assurance that stranded Pinoy drivers will be transferred to Qatar where jobs are waiting for them.

"Sabi niya pakisabi sa mga misis na the Labor Department, through the Office of the Labor Attache, is making arrangements para malipat yung mga bus drivers mula Dubai papuntang Qatar kung saan may mga naghihintay na mga trabaho para sa kanila bilang taga-maneho din ng bus," Ople said.

Roque called up Ople to inform her that he already gave instructions to transfer the 137 bus drivers to Qatar. Ople then relayed the message to the bus drivers' wives whom she met Wednesday afternoon in a cafe in Quezon City.

The Secretary is in Qatar for a series of meetings with the labor minister and prospective employers.
 
"Yun ang ipinamalita ko sa kanila at sa tingin ko napakalaking ginhawa kasi yun lang naman ang hanap nila na may kita, kumikita ang kanilang mga asawa," Ople told abs-cbnNEWS.com.

The former labor undersecretary also learned that about 11 Pinoy drivers were supposed to fly home on board two flights Wednesday.

"May mga 11 drivers ang pauwi ngayon. Si Sec. Roque na mismo ang kumausap para magkaroon ng trabaho ang inyong mga asawa. Yung mga naka-schedule na umuwi ngayon susubukan daw nilang i-hold. Yung hindi mahohold, dahil may mga ticket na tutulungan na lang din niya na makakuha ng trabaho," she said.

The Pinoy drivers, some arrived as early as January, are still stranded, without jobs in Dubai. They were recruited by CYM International Services to work as bus drivers in Dubai's Road and Transport Authority (RTA). They learned too late that the RTA was not hiring any more drivers.

The drivers were promised good-paying jobs in exchange for a placement fee of P150,000.

"Malinaw sa amin, una, masyadong malaki ang sinigil nila. Pangalawa, nanloloko sila hindi lang ng mga manggagawa kungdi dalawang gobyerno niloko nila dahil iba yung pinakita nilang employment visa dito sa immigration natin, tapos tourist visa naman pala yung pinapagamit sa mga manggagawa na nagbayad ng P150,000 pagpunta nila sa Dubai," she said.

She added that the drivers were instructed to get rid of the employment visa once they land in Dubai.

"May panloloko talaga na involved," said Ople.

The drivers are not the only ones affected by the experience as their families suffer, too. The wives said they were deeply worried about the outstanding loans they have to pay to the lending agency referred to them by CYM International Services.

"Dahil sila ay victims ng illegal recruitment done by a licensed agency, ang effect nun, una may mga trabaho na ang mga ito, nag resign. Pangalawa, umasa sila na kikita agad, natagalan," said Ople.

She explained that one family was forced to stop sending their eldest son to school due to the lack of money. Another wife said they used their house-and-lot as collateral to borrow money, while others borrowed from lending companies to pay the agency’s exorbitant placement fees.

The Ople Center head said that the ones who stand to profit from the plight of the OFWs are the recruitment agency and the lending company.

"Ang kumita dito yung recruitment agency, P150,000 each, times 137 bus drivers. Malinaw na kita yan, kasi wala naman pa lang deployment, wala naman pa lang hiring. Pangalawa, kumita yung lending company kasi nag-isyu na sila ng mga checks na tumatakbo na yung interest. So wala kaming nakikitang recourse kung di kasuhan pareho," said Ople.

During her conversation with Roque, the labor head gave his assurance that they will run after the agency.

"May utos na daw siya sa POEA na magkaroon ng preventive suspension doon sa CYM International. Babantayan na lang natin kung kailan ipapatupad yun pero sinabi niya sa akin na mayroon na siyang instructions for a preventive suspension, at itutuloy daw yung kaso laban sa CYM," Ople said.

Ople was also happy to announce the determination of the wives of the bus drivers to pursue the case against the agency even if their spouses find jobs in Qatar.

"Kaya ko sila pinulong kasi gusto kong malaman kung determinado ba talaga sila. Lumalabas na determinado sila," said Ople, who added that two volunteer lawyers are now assisting them.

She appealed to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to review its system and tighten its control and clean its lists of agencies.

"Itong CYM International, itong nangyari sa mga drivers dapat gawin ng labor department, ng office of the labor attache at ng POEA na test case. Asan yung butas, paano nangyari ito? Alin ang dapat nilang higpitan para hindin a maulit. I'm sure the government was acting in good faith but hindi maikakaila na ang laking perwisyo sa mga pamilya and despite all good intentions, lahat naman ng uri ng sistema needs to be improved now and then. This is a very good time to do that," she said.

The Ople Center called on the Senate labor committee to look into the practices of greedy lending companies that exploit the jobseekers to pay their recruiters.

She is also confident that the bus drivers have a strong case against their agency.

"They have all the documentary evidences with them and nagkakaisa sila ng storya, 137 pero pare-pareho ang storya so it’s a very strong case," she said.