THE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) on Thursday, October 6, gave a P50,000 cash assistance to the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who sustained burns and bruises from an abusive employer in Doha, Qatar.
Marichu Tampol Villar, 29, a household helper in Doha, Qatar, who hails from Matanao in Davao del Sur province, went home last month.
Owwa-Davao Regional Director Eduardo Bellido said Villar arrived in Manila on September 30 then boarded a plane bound to Davao City without giving notice to her family.
"Her (Villar) family was shocked by her horrible condition and appearance. According to her, she was severely beaten and abused by her female employer," Bellido said.
Villar sustained burns on her face, at her back and other parts of the body after her employer ironed her.
Her feet and legs were also burned after it was poured with hot water.
Bellido added the worker also acquired scar in her lips because her employer allegedly kicked her on the face, and several bruises in different parts of her body.
Villar was then rushed by her family to Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital, Digos City, for immediate medical attention and is still confined at the hospital for medication and laboratory testing.
Owwa administrator Hans Leo Cacdac, along with Bellido and the officers of the Owwa-Davao, went to the hospital to check the condition of the worker and to extend cash assistance for her medical needs.
Villar said her employer transmitted her salary through Western Union with her name as the sender and her mother Margarita as the receiver, but up to this moment they were not able to claim P60,000.
Villar said P26,000 was supposed to be transmitted on March 6 and another P34,000 on July but no transmission of the money has been made.
Villar added they can no longer trace the tracking number.
Bellido said the region is waiting for the release of the medical report of Villar to be used as a proof and support in the filing of appropriate case by the Philippine Embassy against her employer.
Cacdac, meanwhile, assured the family of medical assistance and other benefits, such as scholarship and livelihood assistance, which the worker is entitled.
