OFW who delivered baby in KL gets help

3 October 2007—Philippine Ambassador to Kuala Lumpur Victoriano M. Lecaros reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in Malaysia expressed gratitude to the Embassy for taking care of her during her pregnancy until she gave birth to a healthy baby boy at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital last 24 September. Prior to the delivery, she was under the Embassy’s custody for the past eighteen (18) days.

The OFW came to Malaysia as a tourist in October 2005. She told the Embassy that she worked as a singer at various clubs in Johor Bahru, which borders Singapore, until 07 May 2007, when her pregnancy started to become obvious. She initially stayed at a house of a friend until August 2007, when she approached the Johor Overseas Filipino Association (JOFA), a Filipino community organization in Johor Bahru. The group brought her to the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. The OFW claimed that her passport was taken by her agent, who is a foreign national and who had left Malaysia for good.

When the OFW arrived at the Embassy on the night of 06 September 2007, she sought assistance for her repatriation to the Philippines. However, she was already 37 weeks pregnant and, because of her advanced stage of pregnancy, air travel was not possible.

In this regard, the OFW was provided temporary shelter at the Filipino Workers Resource Center (FWRC), a skills training center for OFWs managed by the Office of the Labor Attache of the Embassy. The Embassy attended to the OFW while waiting for her date of delivery. On 11 and 19 September 2007, Assistance-to-Nationals (ATM) Officer Jerico N. Redito, OWWA Administrative Assistant Brenda D. Olinares, and DSWD Administrative Assistant Latifa Bonajal accompanied the OFW to a clinic for pre-natal consultations. These officers also counseled the OFW, a first-time mother, and helped her prepare for the delivery of her baby.

On 24 September 2007, ATN Officer Redito and DSWD Administrative Assistant Bonajal again accompanied the OFW to the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital because she was showing signs of an impending delivery. The OFW was admitted to the hospital and on the night of the same day, she delivered a baby boy. Several Embassy personnel visited the OFW in the hospital and brought her food and items needed by the baby.

On 25 September 2007, Vice Consul Shirlene C. Mananquil, Social Welfare Attache Nestor B. Ramos and DSWD Administrative Assistant Bonjal facilitated the discharge of the OFW and her baby from the hospital. Both were then taken to the FWRC for temporary shelter. The OFW and her baby will continue to stay at the FWRC until the infant is certified fit to travel to the Philippines. END.

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