Distressed OFW rescued in Saudi Arabia — DFA

MANILA, Philippines — An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in distress was rescued in Saudi Arabia after her sister directly brought her case to the attention of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. during his near scuffle with protesters outside the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) headquarters on Friday.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Dodo Dulay confirmed that the Filipina migrant worker was extracted by the Philippine embassy in Saudi Arabia after her sister Regina Garde personally sought the help of Locsin when the latter was confronting protesters outside the DFA.

“She is now in our shelter safe and sound. Her employer will issue her exit visa and pay her salaries due. We are now booking her flight home,” said Dulay in a Twitter post.

Locsin earlier pledged to help the Filipina migrant worker after being told of her plight by Garde.

Garde said her sister was not allowed to go home by her employers even after her contract had expired in November.

“There she is, the crying woman whose sister was stuck in Saudi Arabia... We took down her sister’s name and details; called (Philippine ambassador to Saudi Arabia Adnan) Alonto; that same day she was found and is on her way. Not one but all of ’em,” the secretary tweeted on Saturday.