SAN JACINTO, Pangasinan – Top officials from the Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration visited the hometown of Marjorette Garcia on Saturday to offer their condolences and provide various forms of financial assistance to her grieving family.
Ms. Garcia, a 32-year-old overseas Filipino worker, was fatally stabbed by a Kenyan coworker in Saudi Arabia last month, reportedly due to jealousy over preferential treatment. Her remains were repatriated to the Philippines on Friday.
At a press conference here, OWWA-Ilocos Director Gerardo Rimorin announced the agency would give Ms. Garcia’s family PHP200,000 in death benefits and PHP20,000 for burial costs, as well as livelihood assistance and scholarships for her children. The provincial government also contributed PHP50,000.
OWWA Chief Arnell Ignacio said the agency will remain in contact with the family to ensure all owed support is provided. A lawyer has been retained to pursue legal action against the suspect, who is detained, according to Department of Migrant Workers officer Hans Leo Cacdac.
Ms. Garcia’s mother said it was her daughter’s first time working overseas. She had just renewed her contract for another three years when tragedy struck.
“Marjorette’s case is a sad reminder of risks OFWs undertake to provide for families back home,” Mr. Ignacio said. As officials comforted loved ones, the killing highlighted the vulnerabilities of Filipino workers abroad.
