TACLOBAN CITY — Ten overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Leyte have recovered more than P1.45 million in unpaid salaries and end-of-service benefits after their complaints against an employer in Saudi Arabia were successfully settled through mediation facilitated by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) in Eastern Visayas.
The Department of Migrant Workers Regional Office VIII said the workers were able to receive a total of P1,458,607.71 after filing Requests for Assistance (RFAs) over the alleged non-payment of their wages and other contractual benefits.
The cases were resolved through the agency’s Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism, which allows migrant workers and concerned parties to settle labor disputes through conciliation and mediation instead of lengthy legal proceedings.
According to the regional office, the settlement was reached following a series of mediation conferences facilitated by the Migrant Workers Protection Division (MWPtD) in coordination with the OFWs’ Philippine recruitment agency.
The mediation process was led by conciliators Salvador Say and Harvey Trinchera, culminating in a formal amicable settlement signed on Feb. 25, 2026.
Present during the release of the settlement claims were Officer-in-Charge Regional Director Atty. Lovely Aissa Velayo-Agliam, OIC Assistant Regional Director Marlon Macalla, and OIC MWPtD Chief Atty. Michelle Basal.
One of the OFWs expressed gratitude to the DMW for facilitating the settlement and helping them recover the benefits owed to them.
“I thank DMW Region VIII for their swift action and immediate response in helping us recover our salaries and other benefits that rightfully belong to us from our company in Saudi Arabia,” the worker said.
The regional office said it continues to strengthen its protective mechanisms through proactive case management and dispute resolution strategies to ensure that the rights and welfare of OFWs are protected and that their claims are resolved in a timely manner.
The DMW also reiterated its commitment to assisting Filipino migrant workers facing labor-related problems abroad, particularly those involving unpaid wages and violations of employment contracts.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
