Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario on Friday appealed to the hundreds of illegal Filipino workers camping outside the Philippine consulate in Jeddah to accept the Philippine government’s offer to move them to shelters while diplomats negotiate with Saudi authorities to bring them all home.
There are at least 1,000 Filipinos in the campsite, including children, but only seven women, along with their seven children, have agreed to be transferred to one of the two shelters being provided by the government.
“We need the cooperation of everyone,” Del Rosario said as majority of the Filipinos insisted on staying altogether in one facility amid the ongoing crackdown by Saudi authorities of illegal foreign workers in the Kingdom.
The Filipinos began to amass in the area on April 11 as authorities in Saudi Arabia – home to more than 1 million Filipino workers – have recently raided offices and put up immigration checkpoints across the country.
“Help us to be helpful to you,” the Foreign Affairs Chief appealed to the Filipinos. “We know and appreciate your problems. Help us in being able to help you. Cooperate with us.”
Del Rosario on Wednesday dispatched to Saudi Arabia two senior Foreign Affairs officials – Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Jesus Yabes and Assistant Secretary for Middle East and Africa Petronila Garcia – to negotiate the waiver of the mandatory penalties and requirements hampering the departure of the undocumented Filipinos.
Del Rosario also said he took up the problem with the Saudi Ambassador in Manila and asked the possibility of easing the requirements for the Filipinos so they could finally return to their homes in the Philippines.
Departure procedures for undocumented foreign workers are tedious as fines would have to be paid and exit documents must be secured before they are granted permission by Saudi authorities to leave the Kingdom.
“We must seek the assistance of the Saudi authorities because that’s the only direct way to do this,” Del Rosario said.
He assured that the government is doing its best to ease the plight of the stranded Filipinos as he appealed for their patience and understanding.
“These things takes time,” he said. “We have to address these challenges on a partnership basis. And you have to be with us and you cannot be out on your own and work against us or be defiant in terms of the help that we are providing you.”
“If you want us to work, let’s join hands and be partners in solving your problem for you."
The Philippines is among the world’s largest supplier of foreign workers, mostly employed in the service sectors.
Remittances from an estimated 10 million Filipino migrant workers constitute a significant source of the country’s foreign exchange as they send home over $20 billion per year. - VVP, GMA News
Remittances from an estimated 10 million Filipino migrant workers constitute a significant source of the country’s foreign exchange as they send home over $20 billion per year. - VVP, GMA News
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