After Villagio Mall Fire, 400 Pinoys in Doha Fear Job Loss

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Some 400 Filipinos working at the Villagio Mall in Doha, Qatar, that was gutted by fire on Monday, stand losing their jobs as the mall has been closed.

The Monday fire killed 19 people, including three Filipinos.

On Tuesday the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed and identified the three Filipinos killed in the blaze. Two other Filipinos have been reported hurt and are now being treated in a hospital in Doha.

The DFA said the three fatalities were undocumented workers who went to Qatar on tourist visas.

Migrante-Middle East Regional Coordinator John Leonard Monterona said 60 percent of the estimated 400 Filipinos working at the Villagio Mall are women performing sales-related jobs. Some of the males are store merchandisers.

“We were able to talk to a number of Filipinos working at the Villagio Mall who expressed fears of their losing jobs as the said mall has been closed,” Monterona added.

Bobby, not his real name, who works as store merchandiser, aired his worries of the effect of the fire such as eventually losing his job.

“We don’t know yet what will happen. We would be lucky if we will be transferred to another store,” Bobby said.

Monterona urged the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Doha to look into the problem and extend assistance to those who were displaced by the fire.

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