MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 6, 2012) – The migrants’ rights group in the Middle East has criticized Philippine labor and welfare officials and accused them of delaying the repatriation and for failing to provide adequate assistance to a 72-year old sick Filipino worker in Saudi Arabia.
John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator, citing reports from Migrante officers in Jeddah, identified the Filipino worker as Mateo Amaro, who hailed from Caloocan City.
“Amaro is suffering from diabetes and tuberculosis, and no doubt his health is deteriorating as shown on his latest photo sent to us by our colleagues in Jeddah,” Monterona said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
He said Amaro has been working without proper documents in Saudi Arabia for the past 20 years.
“His being undocumented deprived him to be home, just like the thousands of undocumented overseas Filipino workers, and reunite with his family,” Monterona said.
He said Migrante officers and members in Jeddah contributed to provided an air ticket for Amaro.
“Though we already paid and secured an air ticket for OFW Amaro, still he could not be repatriated pending the issuance of exit clearance from his sponsor-employer,” Monterona said.
He said Migrante officers in Jeddah keep on following up his repatriation from the Philippine Labor Attaché Vicente Cabe and a certain Qassim, an OWWA welfare officer in Jeddah, but both simply ignored their appeals.
“If only our Migrante officers in Jeddah are in a position and authority to talk and negotiate with OFW Amaro’s employer for the issuance of his exit clearance, then they’re more than willing to do so,” Monterona said.
Monterona noted that just recently, Philippine Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz issued an order to labor officials abroad to be ready to serve Filipino workers, but this does not hold true in the case of Amaro.
“We call on Secretary Baldoz and Welfare Administrator Dimzon to recall and replace Labor Attache Vicente Cabe and Welfare Officer Qassim, as both were negligent on their respective duties and have been a subject of numerous complaints from distress OFWs,” Monterona said.
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