MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 2, 2013)- The Philippines said it is prepared to extend assistance to undocumented Filipinos in Saudi Arabia following an ultimatum set by the Arab state.
Saudi is expected to crackdown on illegal foreign workers after the November 3 deadline, but Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Manila is doing everything it could to assist undocumented Filipino workers there.
“Puspusan po ang pakikipag-ugnayan ng ating pamahalaan sa Kingdom of Saudi Arabia sa pamamagitan ng ating Department of Foreign Affairs. Nakikipag-ugnayan din po ang Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers Affairs, si Vice President Jejomar Binay,” Coloma said.
But Coloma did not say what steps the government would take to protect or assist the Filipinos in Saudi. Many undocumented and distressed Filipino workers have put up tents outside the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah to escape arrest and continue to suffer from lack of government actions.
Vice President Jejomar Binay, who is also the concurrent Presidential Adviser on OFW Concerns, sent a letter to Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to appeal that Filipino workers be given another extension to correct their working status in the kingdom.
“Isa sa mga naisulong na petisyon ng ating pamahalaan at partikular na isinusulong ni Vice President Binay, sa ulat na ating natanggap in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs ay ‘yung representation of the request of our OFWs for possible extension ng deadline at kung pwede rin silang bigyan ng due consideration sa iba pang mga administrative aspects nitong issuance na ito ng KSA,” Coloma said.
“Pinagtutulungan po ng lahat ng ahensya ng pamahalaan ‘yung pagtulong at pagsuporta sa ating mga kababayang hindi pa nailalagay sa ayos ang kanilang documentation sa Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Binibigyan po sila ng assistance ng Department of Foreign Affairs through our embassy in Riyadh,” he added.
The crackdown against illegal workers started on March 28 because of the Saudization policy or Nitaqat which encourages the employment of Saudi nationals in private firms.
King Abdullah stopped the crackdown against illegal immigrants and foreign workers in April, giving them three months to fix their status. He also deferred the deadline from July 3 to November 3, the end of the Islamic year, in response to requests made by Saudi companies and employers, who reportedly cited the backlog in the processing of documents in certain offices.
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