Yt Framework

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration – Regional Office -9 (OWWA, R-9) under the leadership of newly designated Regional Director Hassan Gabra Jumdain provided immediate assistance to three Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) deportees from Sabah, Malaysia who arrived recently at the Zamboanga Port together with 80 undocumented deportees on board M/V Danica Joy.

The three OFWs identified as Johnny Ferrer, Elpidio Manuel Jr., and Eugene Gabbac were deployed on August 16, 2010 by TMJ International Manpower Services to work as construction workers under the W Construction Corporation in Kota Kinabalu.

Jumdain, a former Attache to Malaysia prior to his appointment as OWWA Regional Director, said that the OFW’s were detained by police authorities at the Kipayan Detention Center where they stayed for 26 days due to the brawl they had with some Indonesian nationals caused by a celebration they had at their quarters. After a month, they were transferred to Kimanis Rumamera Deportation Center and stayed there for 1 month and 25 days.

The case which was brought to the attention of OWWA Zamboanga was personally coordinated by Director Jumdain with the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia which resulted to the immediate repatriation of the OFWs.

The workers who are all from Cagayan Valley were provided by OWWA with food, clothing, personal necessities and long distance call to their families.
The three OFWs immediately left Zamboanga International Airport and arrived in Manila and were met by their Families together with Thelma Manzano-Junudi of TMJ International Manpower Services and were assisted by OWWA Officers in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) who provided them temporary shelter and shouldered their airfare.