Over 157k Pinoys in Saudi Arabia regularized status during correction period


More than 157,000 illegal Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia managed to regularize their status during the grace period for them to do so, the Philippine Embassy there said.

In a news release posted on its website on Thursday, the embassy said the Filipinos regularized their status before the Nov. 3 deadline lapsed.

“I thank the Saudi Ministry of Labor which sent the Embassy these official statistics on the number of Filipinos who corrected their status in the Kingdom during the seven-month period from 25/5/1434H to 12/12/1434H,”  Philippine Ambassador Ezzedin Tago said after meeting with Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Consular Affairs Ambassador Usamah Al-Senousi.

"(The statistics) reveal that Filipinos benefited greatly from the correction period and a large number were able to regularize their status in the Kingdom. More importantly, the statistics reveal that the majority corrected their status across the Kingdom through the initiative of their existing or new employer,” he added.

Citing the statistics from the Saudi Labor Ministry, he said 53,330 Filipino transferred employment to a new employer, and 104,364 changed or corrected their professions in the work permit and residence card or iqama.

He relayed the Philippine government and Filipino people's thanks for the seven-month correction period granted by King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz.

Tago said the statistics were categorized by profession, activity and region.

Citing the Saudi MOL statistics, the Embassy said 38,939 Filipinos left on final exit during the seven-month period, including those who left after the end of their contract.

"Significantly, those who left on final exit during the correction period will be able to return to the Kingdom in the future if they wish to do so, except for a few who may have a derogatory record," the embassy said.

Repatriation

As of Nov. 5, the Philippine government shouldered the repatriation of 2,018 from Jeddah, 2,332 from Riyadh, and 141 from the Eastern Region.

Another 81 are currently being booked on flights to the Philippines.

Tago also thanked the Ministry of Interior and the Office of the Emir and the Jawazat officials who helped in the cases of Filipino women who needed documentation for their children.

With the approval of the Interior Ministry and the Office of the Emir of Riyadh, an inter-agency committee processed the birth documentation of 477 women and their 602 children.

Of these, 401 completed their both the DNA testing and fingerprinting while some opted not to continue with the procedure.

Some 347 mothers with their children have left, while 45 are in the final step either for booking of flights or issuance of final exit, the embassy said.

“We are very thankful for the Interior Ministry and Emir’s approval for the mechanism providing for DNA testing and final exit of the mothers and their children. This has helped many mothers," Tago said.

However, he said there are 191 who did not show up during the procedure, although 29 have now returned and asked for assistance.

Also, he said there are 103 new cases who have asked for repatriation.

"The DNA testing procedure ended on 15 July after the Embassy issued several advisories and called all those on the list several times. The 132 cases that are now seeking help have been listed, and the Embassy will try to seek approval for a similar procedure that would facilitate their documentation and the processing of their final exit,” Tago said.

Aside from the processing and the DNA testing conducted in a Philippine Embassy rented villa in Um Al-District, the Jawazat accommodated the women for fingerprinting or the basma during a special time.

The embassy said this was dedicated only for the mothers and their children, which facilitated the process.

Pending cases

Meanwhile, the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh received information from the Passports Directorate General that there will be procedures and a schedule for the processing of males and females who have not completed the procedures to obtain their final exit.

The Embassy said it will inform those who have enlisted seeking final exit once the procedure and the timetable is finalized.

It said the advisory will also be posted on the Embassy’s website and Facebook page.

The Embassy said it expects the processing to resume next week. — LBG, GMA News

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