Switching and substitution of contracts of overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are more rampant in the Middle East than in any other OFW destination, and Philippine diplomatic posts seemed to be tolerating the irregularity, according to a migrant workers’ welfare advocacy group.

Migrante-Middle East, an alliance of overseas Filipino organizations in the Middle East, said of the five complaints it receives daily from OFWs, three are cases of breach of contract committed by their respective employer.

“Aside from rampant labor malpractices committed by employers against OFWs, especially those in the service sector, household domestic workers, and construction workers, we are seeing a trend of increasing cases of contract switching and substitution victimizing quite a number of OFWs here in the Middle East,” John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator said in a statement.

Monterona, who is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia said when they dig deeper into the cases, it would appear that the employer has another set of contract with different provisions and conditions from what the complaining OFWs have on their original employment contract, which they signed in the Philippines.

“What is alarming is that these cases of contract switching and substitution have been tolerated by Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) in cahoots with foreign employers and recruitment agencies,” he said citing the case of the 92 distressed OFWs who have stopped working as caregivers for Riyadh-based Al Nasban Company.

Monterona said the 92 distressed OFWs signed an original employment contract before deployment facilitated by their respective recruitment agencies in the Philippines that stipulates a monthly salary of 950 Saudi Riyals and free medical insurance among other benefits.

The original contract bore an embossed Republic of the Philippines embassy seal and has been verified and signed by the Labor Attaché concerned, according to Monterona.

When the OFWs arrived at the job site, however, they were allegedly forced by their employer’s representative to sign a new contract stipulating a different salary rate and provisions or conditions of their employment different from the original contract they signed in the Philippines.

“Hired OFWs have no choice at all, but to sign the new contract as they were already at job sites and have already spent huge money for their deployment,” Monterona said.

“But what is highly irregular is that the second contract which the OFWs were forced to sign has also an RP post logo embossed, a ‘verified’ stamp, and signed by the concerned labor attaché,” he added.