Press Release

Baldoz lauds POLO-Singapore for rescuing 12 stranded OFWs

Department of Labor and Employment
Emailed for posting by Jojo Taduran
September 19, 2014



Labor and Employment Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz yesterday lauded the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Singapore for successfully rescuing 12 stranded OFWs.

“The 12 OFWs were detained by officers of the Airport Police Department of the Changi International Airport last 5 September 2014. They were bound to work as domestic workers in various Middle East countries and made a stop-over in Singapore,” Baldoz said, citing the report of Labor Attache Vicente Cabe of POLO Singapore.

Cabe said in his report the 12 OFWs were not allowed to board their connecting flight due to questions about their plane tickets which were purportedly purchased through fake credit cards. “They were turned over to the Airport Police Department, which contacted us in the POLO,” Cabe said.

Upon knowing of the plight of the 12 OFWs, staff of POLO Singapore immediately proceeded to the Changi Airport and interviewed the 12 OFWs. They made them accomplish the Workers’ Intake Sheet for documentation purposes. Thereafter, they contacted the OFWs’ respective agencies and asked the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to verify if their deployment were legitimate.

After the POEA responded in the positive, POLO Singapore then asked the 12 OFWs to decide whether to pursue their employment abroad. Eight of the workers decided to proceed to their respective employers, while the other four decided to return back to the Philippines. Their respective agencies provided them with tickets, both for those bound to the Middle East and for the other four back to the Philippines.

The four domestic workers arrived in Manila on 9 September 2014.

The 12 OFWs and their destinations were as follows: (1) Venus Galve, bound for Kuwait; (2) Noraisa Gumbay, bound for Kuwait; (3) Stella Marie Aragon, bound for Qatar; (4) Gina Dela Cruz, bound for Jordan; (5) Jubaina Maula, bound for Jordan; (6) Rochelle Rueda, bound for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; (7) Mary Jane Agnes, bound for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; (8) Merygen Manangan, bound for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; (9) Sarah Cano, bound for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; (10) Jenilyn Magpayo, bound for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; (11) Joan Gilleran, bound for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and (12) Jade Angelique Trogon, bound for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Baldoz instructed POEA Administrator Hans Cacdac to look more closely into the case and determine if there was fault in either of the parties. POEA’s finding will define whether an appropriate sanction will be issued against an erring party.

“We cannot just play easy on the lives and safety of our OFWs,” Baldoz said.

"Prospective OFWs must be mindful of their rights and obligations. There are numerous cases of OFWs’ terrible experiences here and abroad, from illegal recruitment to physical abuse. We have to continue to work hard to decrease, if not prevent, these welfare concerns of our OFWs,” Baldoz added.