Rising desert temperatures worsening Pinoys' plight in Jeddah
The approaching summer in Saudi Arabia threatens to worsen the plight of desperate Filipinos camped outside the Philippine consulate in Jeddah, many of whom are undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), a Philippine official there said Monday.
Their fates hang in the balance as the Kingdom's crackdown on illegal and overstaying migrants has been postponed until July.
"Talagang mahirap ang kalagayan nila, ang panahon umiinit, papunta tayo sa summer. Panahon ng tag-init kaya nahihirapan sila," Philippine Consul General Uriel Norman Garibay said in an interview on dzBB radio, adding they have to assume most of these Filipinos have no jobs as they had fled from their sponsors.
"Hindi sila nagsasabi kung may trabaho sila. Ang aming presumption wala silang trabaho," Garibay said.
He said there could be as many as 1,500 to 2,000 Filipinos camped outside the consulate during the day, but some stay with friends or relatives during the afternoon and evening.
Garibay said their biggest task now is talking to the Filipinos' sponsors individually to convince them to issue a "no objection" certificate to let the Filipinos leave the Kingdom.
Help from fellow Pinoys
But the situation was not without a silver lining. According to Garibay, members of the Filipino community are helping the Filipino campers by giving them food. Other Filipino community groups have also organized medical missions to attend to those who have fallen ill.
"Meron din mga private individual na Saudi na nagbibigay ng pagkain at inumin, kaya hindi sila kinukulang sa pagkain," Garibay said.
On Sunday, Malacañang reassured the affected Filipinos that appropriate labor and consular officials are attending to their needs, but may have to do so on a case-to-case basis.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said some of the Filipinos who had been camping outside the Philippine consulate in Jeddah lack the needed paperwork to leave the Kingdom.
“Tulad ng sinabi ng DFA, kailangan natin tingnan isa-isa ang kanilang kaso. Pagdating sa Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, may requirement ng exit visa at kailangan klaro lahat ng kanilang paperwork bago sila mabigyan noon,” she said on government-run dzRB radio.
She said the government is aware of the Filipinos’ situation and the DFA is trying to attend to each individual case.
The DFA, Philippine Overseas Labor Office and Department of Labor and Employment are working with the Philippine labor attaché on the matter, she said.
“A lot of them absconded from employers so may problema sa documentation,” Valte added.
Help from bloggers, social media volunteers
Meanwhile, OFW advocate Susan Ople urged the Philippine embassy to tap a group of bloggers and social media volunteers who are helping the Filipino community there extend help to the affected Filipinos.
She said the embassy could give the group guidance on how to respond to queries and how to inform the public of the Filipinos’ needs.
“Willing sila magbabad sa Facebook at tumanggap ng ano dapat isagot. [Pero] kailangan guided sila ng embassy, ano dapat ano ang emergency, ang iba info lang ang kailangan,” Ople said in an interview on dzBB radio.
A separate article on the Presidential Communications and Operations Office noted many undocumented OFWs are affected by the Kingdom's crackdown on illegal and overstaying migrants.
However, King Abdullah ordered interior and labor officials to give undocumented workers in the KSA three months to correct their work and residency status.
The Palace said the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) is coordinating with the Saudi authorities to assist qualified OFWs who want to legalize their stay by acquiring Iqama and residency permits.
POLO is also assisting the OFWs who are seeking repatriation, it added.
"Some 1,450 undocumented Filipinos, who are seeking immediate repatriation, reportedly camped out near the Philippine Consulate building in Jeddah for fear of being arrested by the Saudi police," it added. — KBK, GMA News
Their fates hang in the balance as the Kingdom's crackdown on illegal and overstaying migrants has been postponed until July.
"Talagang mahirap ang kalagayan nila, ang panahon umiinit, papunta tayo sa summer. Panahon ng tag-init kaya nahihirapan sila," Philippine Consul General Uriel Norman Garibay said in an interview on dzBB radio, adding they have to assume most of these Filipinos have no jobs as they had fled from their sponsors.
"Hindi sila nagsasabi kung may trabaho sila. Ang aming presumption wala silang trabaho," Garibay said.
He said there could be as many as 1,500 to 2,000 Filipinos camped outside the consulate during the day, but some stay with friends or relatives during the afternoon and evening.
Garibay said their biggest task now is talking to the Filipinos' sponsors individually to convince them to issue a "no objection" certificate to let the Filipinos leave the Kingdom.
Help from fellow Pinoys
But the situation was not without a silver lining. According to Garibay, members of the Filipino community are helping the Filipino campers by giving them food. Other Filipino community groups have also organized medical missions to attend to those who have fallen ill.
"Meron din mga private individual na Saudi na nagbibigay ng pagkain at inumin, kaya hindi sila kinukulang sa pagkain," Garibay said.
On Sunday, Malacañang reassured the affected Filipinos that appropriate labor and consular officials are attending to their needs, but may have to do so on a case-to-case basis.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said some of the Filipinos who had been camping outside the Philippine consulate in Jeddah lack the needed paperwork to leave the Kingdom.
“Tulad ng sinabi ng DFA, kailangan natin tingnan isa-isa ang kanilang kaso. Pagdating sa Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, may requirement ng exit visa at kailangan klaro lahat ng kanilang paperwork bago sila mabigyan noon,” she said on government-run dzRB radio.
She said the government is aware of the Filipinos’ situation and the DFA is trying to attend to each individual case.
The DFA, Philippine Overseas Labor Office and Department of Labor and Employment are working with the Philippine labor attaché on the matter, she said.
“A lot of them absconded from employers so may problema sa documentation,” Valte added.
Help from bloggers, social media volunteers
Meanwhile, OFW advocate Susan Ople urged the Philippine embassy to tap a group of bloggers and social media volunteers who are helping the Filipino community there extend help to the affected Filipinos.
She said the embassy could give the group guidance on how to respond to queries and how to inform the public of the Filipinos’ needs.
“Willing sila magbabad sa Facebook at tumanggap ng ano dapat isagot. [Pero] kailangan guided sila ng embassy, ano dapat ano ang emergency, ang iba info lang ang kailangan,” Ople said in an interview on dzBB radio.
A separate article on the Presidential Communications and Operations Office noted many undocumented OFWs are affected by the Kingdom's crackdown on illegal and overstaying migrants.
However, King Abdullah ordered interior and labor officials to give undocumented workers in the KSA three months to correct their work and residency status.
The Palace said the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) is coordinating with the Saudi authorities to assist qualified OFWs who want to legalize their stay by acquiring Iqama and residency permits.
POLO is also assisting the OFWs who are seeking repatriation, it added.
"Some 1,450 undocumented Filipinos, who are seeking immediate repatriation, reportedly camped out near the Philippine Consulate building in Jeddah for fear of being arrested by the Saudi police," it added. — KBK, GMA News
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