MANILA, Philippines – After waiting for more than 9 months at the Philippine Embassy in Lebanon, 45 Filipinos, including 3 infants, have finally been repatriated to Manila.

The overseas Filipino workers, all of whom were household service workers, were victims of illegal recruiters in cahoots with corrupt Philippine immigration officers at the airport. The OFWs reportedly paid their recruiters P120,000 just to work in Lebanon.

Reports also said that all were victims of abuse and maltreatment by their employers.

Lourdes Espinueva, 41, of San Fernando, La Union said her employer hid her inside a box just to bring her to Lebanon from Syria. She fled to the embassy when she could no longer take her employer’s abusive ways.

Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon Gilbert Asuque advised the OFWs to file formal complaints before the Department of Foreign Affairs against erring recruiters and immigration officers.
 
Asuque reminded potential job seekers that there is an existing deployment ban of OFWs to Lebanon.

The repatriated OFWs are now under the custody of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

Meanwhile, Asuque said more than 105 distressed household service workers also from Lebanon are expected to arrive in Manila Tuesday via Gulf Airlines.