30 Filipino drivers in Saudi accuse firm of overcharging fees

Dammam city: Image by unjoshr via Flickr

A   brief    report    from       Dennis  Carcamo   of  the    Philstar   news service       indicates that Filipinos driving buses in    Saudi Arabia  are financially exploited.

John Monterona, representing the Filipino Imigrant workers' advocacy group Migrante,   disclosed      that   thirty  Filipino bus    drivers  had decried the alleged illegal charging of  fees by   the company  that recruited them and by its tie-up firms in Manila.

The workers were among the  300  bus drivers of the Saudi Public  Transport company based in the city of Dammam. 

"They claimed that their recruiter agency charged them [a] huge placement fee that led them to get an onerous loan from various lending agencies,” Mr Monterona said in a statement. 

The 30 drivers, recruited by PERT-CPM Manpower Exponents Co. Inc, had been on the job nearly four months.

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Hunger and illness stalk families; mother pleads for help

At 10:38 a.m., local time, Tina sent me a text message: Sorry if I give you much [cause to be] worried, I hope you understand my situation, [after] 2 to 3 days without vit[amins] d kids get cough & flue; dat [is] why I need to buy it, pls help me; I don't have allowance here now.

At 2:41 p.m. she texted again: Pls help me, I really felt dizzy & hungry coz till now I didn't eat break[fast] ... *

Nearly four hours later, at 6:34 p.m., Tina emailed me from the CBK Company office where she was undergoing 3 months of unpaid on-the-job training.

Hello Bern,
Bern good p.m., I hope you are in good condition, sorry if I give you so much [cause to be] worried, because you're the only person who can understand my situation and can help me.

Bern, sorry If I mention to you my personal and financial problem, I really don't know what to do. I don't know what I can do tomorrow, when and where I can get my allowance [for] going here in work tomorrow.

Pls help me; on December 30 was holiday, Rizal day, our National Hero day, that [is] why the Cebuana [pawnbroker and remittance agent] possible will be close[d].

Pls help me on my ring**, I don't want to [have] lost it, just only for 1,800 for the interest [I] need to pay, and also vitamins of the kids to avoid flue and cold: when the kids stop taking Vitamins in 2 to 3 days they were sick, it will be more expensive if they were sick; I need 1,200 for Ceelin (Vitamin C) Clusivol (for appetite) supply of the 7 kids, also Bern our allowance for food, I will [need to have] left food at home for little Bern and Josephine and other kids, also my allowance here for transportation and food too, pls.

Help me for 5,000 [pesos] pls, understand my situation, pls kept in touch.

[To] tell you the truth I felt dizzy, and so much hungry because I did not eat breakfast and lunch till this moment; [it's] 4:20pm right now; I'm worried for the food at home too.

Love

[Tina]

* Some text was lost in transmission.

** The ring was awarded to mark Tina's graduation from high school as the Salutatarian and Commander of the Cadet Army Training battalion.

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Micro-businesses greatly handicapped by lack of capital

E-mail from Tina sent at 13:56 GMT+8

Dear Bern,

This is the reply e-mail from Joe, which I mention to you, to invest in my store. As I expected, he give his negative opinion.

What I can I do Bern, the canteen manage[d] by Sol will be close till Oct 25. Tell you the truth, she did not buy any more stock right now, coz she just want to collect for the payment on Oct 25.

The stock I buy last Saturday was almost gone, coz all security guard goes to our store. Bern I don't want to get additional capital from 5/6* just to support the needs of guard, coz I don't want to happen to my store [what] happen to the canteen manage by Sol.

I hope you understand, if you have a chance please help me to explain to Joe the situation.

Tina

-----

*5/6: a short-term monelender who charges high interest.

Desperate husband denies food to in-laws' small hungry children, wife alleges

Bern (14:03:27): Hello Tina. I'm so sorry to hear Jovs has been so angry and unfriendly to your sisters and their families. I do hope your situation has improved by now. Tina will receive your messages on a mobile device.

Bern (14:26:30): Hi Jovs, how are you? Still working hard, I guess. Mel texted me requesting financial help again but most regrettably I have very high costs to pay now.

Tina (14:33:30): Yes Bern it's impossible. Liza [did] pay d store till she cannot return to her work [i.e. until she became too ill to work], but Jovs ask me not to continue [helping her], not to give food from d store, but I did not follow, I help other people but I cannot control my self [not] to help d kids' hunger.

Bern (14:41:15): I have some idea of the harsh situation. I'll text Jovs and hope he will explain a little to me but he rarely contacts me.

Bern (14:47:30): Tina, some 50 minutes ago I texted Mel but there was no reply. Twenty minutes ago I texted Jovs, asking about himself and Mel but he didn't reply either.

Tina (14:49:04): You know Bern, it's so hard for me, Jovs continue to his work, I prepared food for him, but he did not stay d house long, his duty was 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., he slept last nite, but this a.m. he go again, I text Mel but Mel said Jovs was there this a.m. ,just eat, and left, he did not know where he goes.

Bern (14:51:34): I see. I'd like to ask Jovs gently about his own welfare and that of his brother and later, if possible, about the other children but I don't think he'd answer me.

Bern (14:53:02): You mentioned that you visited Jov's father. Would it help to talk with him again, I wonder? Also, I wonder if Liza or Laurice or Rod can work in the shop.

Tina (14:58:46): Yes day help me, but Jovs don't want them to do dat.

Bern (15:01:49): I don't know Jov's reasons for not wanting their help, but it seems good to me if they help and you can rely on them to do that.

Ministore owner desperately seeks capital, citing great need

September 17

Tina (17:26:21): Bern, I and Mel decide to go home, we will return [to the Laguna Provincial Hospital] on Wed[nesday]. Some Indian (Bombay) 5/6* ask me if I want some capital from them, coz day know dat there [is] lots of demand but I don't have capital, but I think it's not good for my business. But almost of d guard force me to have extra capital to support der family needs.

September 18

Tina (10:03:21): Bern gud a.m., Jovs slept last nite with us, now little Bern and [I] was going to Magdapio but [we] will return after lunch, I don't have per kl. of rice right now, da 20 guard family rely on me including my family.

Tina (18/09/2007 10:12:33): You know Bern, tell you d truth, I don't want to borrow money to 5/6*, coz I really need to buy 5 sacks of rice, 1,200 each, to support d needs of d guards till payday 25th, it total cost 6,000, if ever I borrow I'm return it will be 7,200, my profit will be goes to them, if I have only a chance to have capital to support them and my family, I really need help.

* * *

* 5/6: A loan shark, so-called because one who borrows 500 pesos, for example, must repay 600 within a month. "Bombays" are moneylenders of Indian extraction, generally held in low repute by Filipinos.

Mel desperate again

Mel* (22:45:11) [using Jester's cellphone]: Gud evening Bern I hope dis time you can help me Bern, pls, I really really need your help: I don't have cellphone now: [I] need[ed] to pawn it to buy food and pay elec[tricity]. Love, Mel. Pls Bern.

Mel* (22:47:45): So sorry for d tyms dat I can't text you! I know you understand my situation, no-one can help me now. I need to pawn my phone to have money, and I want to [make a] trip to find job somewhere.

Bern (22:47:49): Hello Mel. I'm really sorry you pawned your cellphone and a little surprised you never told me earlier. I think OTHER people in your house must also pay [for] elec[tricity].

Mel* (22:49:47): I am desperate now: Jester knows dat, bcoz every tym I'm down I know I can count on him, bcoz you're so far to me: I can make it through d rain if you here by my side; I love you.

Bern (22:49:59): As always, Tina's also urgently wanting much money. Alice's 1st cousin died in Mount Isa city, far away, 3:20pm Filipino time today, [she] wants us to go there.

Bern (22:52:25): Alice shocked me an hour ago when she asked me if I'll go to Mount Isa with her. So far, so costly. I couldn't answer her. Life is difficult.

Mel* (22:52:52): Bern pls help me dis tym, I am crying now. Sorry, tell Alice condolence; so sorry. I don't know what to do now. I can't stop thinking.

--

* Mel was using Jester's cellphone.

Sick children, debts and bankruptcy

Tina (11:59:17): Gud a.m. Bern, I [have] been compromised for Helen tomorrow coz 3,000 I borrow[ed], & till now Reorence don't have take home antibiotic. I don't have any money.

Bern (12:03:21): So sorry to hear [that you don't have money]. But I took care to ask you [the] TOTAL amount needed. I have financial problems too.

Tina (12:03:25): Little Bern also have a fever since yesterday. Good news [about] Ken & Kert - their fever [is] gone.

Bern (12:05:45): Glad to hear Ken & Kert's fever [is] gone at last. WHY are Filipino children so very often having fevers? Malnutrition? Why so much infection?

Bern (12:10:54): I told you years ago, [a] counselor with long experience warned [that in her experience] Australian men who married Filipinas [were] usually left heartbroken & BANKRUPT. It's coming true for me too.

Tina (12:18:33): You know Bern, Helen['s] business was buy[ing and] selling of fruits, she buy[s] fruits like lanzones in Laguna [province] & travel[s] it to Manila, she need[s] her money tomorrow to [be] used as capital.

Tina (12:18:39): Da money she gave me don't have interest, dat [is] why I'm very shy to her.

Bern (12:21:03): This is getting too much for me. I need time to think about [the] situation. Thanks for [the] e-mails just rec'd. Must repay some to bank before I do anything. I have little money.