Facebook post leads PH Embassy to distressed OFW in Kuwait

BAAO, Camarines Sur – A one-minute video, which became viral on Facebook, guided the Philippine Embassy to the location of a distressed overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Kuwait.

The video posted on January 18 by Facebook user Mariz Pontillas Sacueza shows a troubled Yvonne Baal, 29, asking for help after being accused by her employer of stealing jewelry.

Sacueza’s post has garnered 1.6 million views and 54.6k shares.

Baal, who hails from the village of Sagrada of this town, said she was supposed to have finished her contract on Feb. 13, but her employer was making up stories because of the impending completion of her contract.

She said her employer threatened to have her arrested by Kuwaiti police for stealing jewelry from the family. The OFW also gave the exact address where she is working.

Gemma Amparado, older sister of Yvonne, said she had communicated with her sister through private messenger and was assured that she was OK.

Emma was told by Yvonne that representatives of the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait had located her and her employer has already agreed to let her go on February 28.

She said Sacueza is a friend of her sister who also hails from Camarines Sur.

Mary Baal, 54, Yvonne’s mother, could not hold back her tears when she narrated that she had always opposed Yvonne’s plan of going abroad to work as domestic helper.

“Yvonne assured us that the Philippine Embassy has talked with her employer and she will be allowed to go home on February 28. But while she is not here, I cannot sleep well,” Mary said.

She said Yvonne, the third among four siblings, finished Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture in Camarines Sur.

The mother of the OFW said she was only told she was going to Kuwait when Yvonne was already at the airport in December 2016.

Mary said when she heard about the stories of abuse and maltreatment of OFWs in Kuwait, she cried thinking about Yvonne who is only receiving a monthly salary of P17,000.

Emma said Yvonne told her that she was located two days after the Philippine Embassy staff saw the video on Facebook.

She said Yvonne told her that the employer did not press theft against her sister.