Because the three Filipina teachers who died in a fire that struck a shopping mall in Doha, Qatar did not have valid working documents, their families may not be able to receive any benefits. However, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said they will try to appeal to the victims’ employers to provide them with death benefits.
Besides the three Filipino workers counted among 19 fatalities in the Tuesday fire of a mall in Doha, Qatar, an estimated 400 other Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) were said to be employed there also, and now fear losing their jobs, a migrant labor support group said.
The Filipinos who reported for work inside the Villagio Mall now don’t know where to go next, according to Migrante-Middle East.
On Tuesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed and identified the three OFWs killed in that tragic fire that gutted the Villagio Mall. Two other OFWs have been reported hurt and are now being treated in a hospital in Doha.
Teachers tried in vain to save children
Meanwhile, DFA's Raul Hernandez told Radyo Singko’s Aksyon Solusyon that the Filipino teachers attempted to bring out the children from the burning building. Unfortunately, the fire exit of the mall was too small, causing them to die from inhaling too much smoke.
The Filipina teachers were working at the Gympanzee nursery school.
OFWs Maribel Orosco, Margie Yecyec, and Julie Ann Soco, together with 13 children were confirmed to have died of asphyxiation.
The DFA gave assurances that Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Crescencio Relacion is making arrangements for the immediate repatriation of their remains. Negotiations with the owner of the school and management of the mall for possible death benefits are also being done.
The three Filipinas had no valid working documents and went as tourists to Qatar, where they chanced upon the teaching jobs.
Qatar’s attorney general, meanwhile, already ordered the arrest of five people, including the Villagio mall owner as well as the owner of the Gympanzee nursery school, said a report on dohanews.co (http://dohanews.co/post/24021333892/report-qatars-attorney-general-orders-arrest-of?fca38978)
Limbo for 400 others
“As to our initial estimate, there are around 400 OFWs reporting for work or working inside the Villagio Mall. Obviously, the mall has been closed due to that fire that broke out the other day,” said Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona.
Monterona added that 60 percent of the estimated 400 OFWs working inside the Villagio Mall are women performing sales-related jobs as sales ladies and cashiers. Some of the male OFWs work as store merchandisers.
Bobby, not his real name, who works as store merchandiser, told Migrante Middle east’s John Leonard Monterona, “We don’t know yet what will happen. We would be lucky if we will be transferred to another store.”
Monterona, who is based in Doha, urged the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Doha to check out the matter and help those who will be displaced by the fire.
He urged the Aquino government through the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to immediately provide burial and other forms of assistance to the families of the three OFWs killed.
Under the law, only overseas Filipino workers who are enrolled with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration are entitled to medical and healthcare, death and disability benefits.
OWWA guidelines say: "A member is entitled to a benefit of Php 100,000.00 for the duration of his employment contract for death due to natural cause, and Php 200,000.00 for death due to accident." (Source: http://www.ofwguide.com/article_item-1516/Benefits-and-Services-of-OWWA-for-OFW-Members.html#ixzz1wOOAsqgR)
A P20,000 burial benefit is also provided. The DFA said it might take more than a week to repatriate the remains of the Filipinas.source: interaksyon.com
