POLO: 395 distressed KSA OFWs repatriated in less than 2 months


By RONALDO CONCHA
Riyadh —A total of 395 distressed OFWs in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have been assisted and repatriated by PHL foreign officials there in little less than two months, a Philippine Overseas Labor  Office official said Thursday.
According to Labor Attache Nasser Mustafa, another 59 distressed Pinoys in Ridyadh were recently sent home to the Philippines on a Philippine Airlines flight, which is expected to arrive at the  Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Thursday morning.

Labor Attache Nasser Mustafa assists the distressed Pinoy workers at the Riyadh International Airport. POLO Riyadh
Labor Attache Nasser Mustafa assists the distressed Pinoy workers at the Riyadh International Airport. POLO Riyadh


Mustafa said the group of 59 OFWs is the latest batch of those who were given exit visa by the Saudi Ministry of Labor, following the KSA visit in August of Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Hans Cacdac.
Also, Mustafa said that a total of 220 troubled OFWs are expected get their exit visa after going through the Saudi Labor Ministry processes.
Moreover, Mustafa said five OFWs were unlucky to have been offloaded —due to police cases —from the plane that was supposed to take them home to the Philippines.
“Lima po sa kanila ang na offload dahil sa nakita na may police case sila, nahabol ng mga amo nila. Sisikapin po nating maayos ang kanilang mga kaso para makauwi sila sa lalong madalingpanahon.”
As in the earlier batch, the OWWA shouldered the airfare and other expenses of the latest batch of repatriates.
Mustafa thanked the Saudi Labor Ministry for the continued assistance in sending troubled Filipinos home. —LBG, GMA News

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