DSWS Cebu City assists six ‘scammed’ construction workers from Surigao

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Six construction workers from Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur who were allegedly scammed by their foreman in Cebu City were able to return to their hometown with the assistance of the Cebu City Department of Social Welfare and Service (DSWS).

In an interview with CDN Digital on Thursday morning, March 9, 2023, Cebu City DSWS Operations Division head Portia Basmayor said officials of Barangay Cogon-Ramos, where these construction workers were temporarily staying in Cebu City, approached their office last March 7 to ask help regarding the status of these construction workers.

“Gidala sila sa ilang silingan padung sa Cebu para mag trabaho sa construction. Gihatag sa [employer] ang ilang sweldo sa ilang foreman, tapos [allegedly] wala gihatag sa ilaha,” she told CDN Digital.

(They were brought to Cebu by their neighbors to be able to work in a construction site. The employer gave their salaries to the foreman, but allegedly, it didn’t reach them.)

CDN Digital is withholding the names of the construction workers and the employer pending the side of the employer.

According to Basmayor, these construction workers arrived in Cebu last January and were temporarily staying in a bunk house rented by their employer in Barangay Cogon-Ramos.

“Pa-balehon ra man sila usahay og P150 (as part of their daily wage). Then ni decide nalang g’yod sila muuli kaysa ari kuno sila diri ma gutom,” she said.

(They would sometimes be able to make an advance of P150. Then they decided to just go home instead of staying hungry here.)

The DSWS first provided the ‘scammed’ workers food and then through the office’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, the six construction workers received P3,000.

Basmayor said the six construction workers already left for Surigao on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.

Basmayor reminded workers to be careful in accepting job offers to avoid being scammed.

/bmjo

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