Shelter for the needy
But some runaways take advantage
Ayla Marisse G Ginete
Contributor
The Overseas Workers’ Welfare Association has never turned away our ‘kababayans’ who needed assistance, no matter how many times they left and returned to the shelter, Philippine Ambassador Eduardo Pablo Maglaya says.
The shelter has implemented a policy of openness and lets in any Filipino in distress, the ambassador reiterated, referring to reports in newspapers about shelter runaways in the past few days. “There is no maximum limit for the inmates to stay in the shelter. As long as their cases are pending in our offices, the inmates stay at the shelter. Not unless they choose to leave the shelter, signing a waiver that the shelter is no more responsible for their well-being,” he said.
Shelter for the needy
But some runaways take advantage
Ayla Marisse G Ginete
Contributor
The Overseas Workers’ Welfare Association has never turned away our ‘kababayans’ who needed assistance, no matter how many times they left and returned to the shelter, Philippine Ambassador Eduardo Pablo Maglaya says.
The shelter has implemented a policy of openness and lets in any Filipino in distress, the ambassador reiterated, referring to reports in newspapers about shelter runaways in the past few days. “There is no maximum limit for the inmates to stay in the shelter. As long as their cases are pending in our offices, the inmates stay at the shelter. Not unless they choose to leave the shelter, signing a waiver that the shelter is no more responsible for their well-being,” he said.
The shelter primarily targeted female runaways who worked as housemaids and had records of maltreatment and abuse in the past. But male runaways, many of whom skilled workers like carpenters and masons, have also approached the shelter for assistance. “The shelter was the brainchild of the Philippine Government to provide sanctuary for our household workers who are victims of abuse.
“Bahrain ranks one of the lowest in terms of shelter population compared with Kuwait, for example, where our shelter can have as many as 200 runaways at one time. In Bahrain, the highest number of runaways has been around 70, during Ramadan,” he said.
Philippine embassy and OWWA officials admit that runaways’ cases can take considerable time to resolve.
“We attend to cases and follow them up everyday. It is somehow difficult to help some people who refuse to cooperate on the procedures. Some runaways just make excuses to justify their act of running away from the shelter,” an official said. “But we cannot turn them away if they come back again,” she said.
It is the only such shelter by an embassy in Bahrain to attend to Filipino runaways in need.
It is perceived as the haven for those who want to escape from abusive sponsors and maltreatment. But lately, it has also welcomed many runaways who simply wanted to escape “hardship”. The majority of runaways have genuine problems officials are striving to solve through negotiations with sponsors, including those who are not willing to release passports. Some runaways have claimed to have been overburdened with the tasks assigned to them and found that running into the shelter might be their ticket home.
But some of the recent cases show that there have been a number of runaways who have misused the help offered to them.
Take, for example, Rosario Pineda, a former tailor who has been in and out of the shelter since 2003. She has reportedly left the shelter once again. And two-time runaways Gina Cabaluna and Alicia Tori disappeared from the shelter without a trace a few days ago.
Both women are reportedly in hiding to avoid arrest by the authorities. Gina was ‘captured’ and beaten up by her sponsor when she attended church services last week. She broke a leg in her attempt to escape from the second floor offices of the manpower agency. OWWA officials have no clue to her whereabouts and have declared a “hands off” policy towards those who run away from the shelter.
Article from: Bahrain Tribune Newspaper- www.BahrainTribune.com