OFW dies during childbirth; baby survives but orphaned in Saudi Arabia

An undocumented Overseas Filipino Worker in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia died after giving birth according to GMA's News TV Live on Wednesday morning.

The OFW who was not immediately identified was part of the group waiting for their travel documents including their exit visa.

She died in the home which she was residing while the baby survived and was brought to a nearby hospital.

The baby is now an orphan since the father, who was also an undocumented OFW committed suicide while waiting for his travel documents, the report said.

A crackdown on illegal workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was announced on March 28, forcing the baby's parents, along with thousands other OFWs to process their travel documents.

This is in connection with its “Saudization” (nitaqat policy), which encouraged private firms to employ Saudi locals.

After King Abdullah announced a three-month reprieve on April 6, which ended on July 4, Filipinos flocked to a lot near the Philippine Consulate to avoid arrest and to ask for legal assistance.

A new deadline for the crackdown was set for November 3.

During the reprieve, the Philippine government urged some 20,000 undocumented Filipino workers to legalize their stay there by acquiring residency permits through their employers.

Meanwhile, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration site says they give up to P200,000 as death benefit for their OFW members who die abroad.

But since the mother is undocumented her family won't get the death benefit. However, OWWA still took care of the mother and child's case.

There are over a million overseas Filipinos in Saudi Arabia according to the 2011 stock estimate of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. — Andrei Medina /LBG, GMA News

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