POLO Dubai officer suspended after incident with Dubai OFW over food assistance

By: staff reporter Published Date: April 17, 2020

Joy Parafina posted a viral video of an incident with a POLO Dubai officer on the ongoing distribution of food aid for OFWs.

PHOTO BY JOY PARAFINA/FACEBOOK

POLO Dubai officer suspended after incident with Dubai OFW over food assistance

DUBAI – A Welfare Officer of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Dubai (POLO Dubai) was suspended on Friday (April 17), a day after a Filipina based in Dubai claimed in a viral video that the officer allegedly cussed and insulted her over the phone.

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello on Friday ordered the swift investigation and suspension of welfare officer Danilo Flores of POLO Dubai.

In his statement, Bello said that Flores is “hereby suspended from the performance of his duties as Welfare Officer pending investigation of the incident”.

Bello also assured the public of DOLE’s continuing welfare and assistance program.

In her viral video on Thursday, Dubai-based OFW Joy Parafina said she visited a supermarket in the emirate to claim her food aid package from POLO Dubai and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). Parafina said she was shown two bags of rice and a box that the supermarket staff claimed contained relief goods. Parafina said she didn’t want to claim the package as no one could tell her what was inside the box.

The Filipina then went on to say she called POLO Dubai for clarification and that Flores had picked up her call, which escalated into a row after the Welfare Officer allegedly cussed and insulted her.

Parafina’s video went viral on Facebook as ongoing food aid package was being distributed in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for OFWs displaced by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

An investigation into the incident is still underway. Speaking to Expatmedia.net, Labor Attache Felicitas Bay said the agency “will act on this”. ICA/Expat Media

Watch Parafina’s Facebook Live video below: