Most Pinoys reject consulate’s offer of shelter in Jeddah

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Only 7 women and their 7 children have so far signed up for the offer

CAMP SITE. Overseas Filipino workers set up camp outside the Philippine Embassy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Photo by Migrante-Jeddah.

MANILA, Philippines – They’d rather be together than transfer to temporary shelters. 

A day after the Department of Foreign Affairs announced that the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah has prepared two temporary shelters for close to 2,000 Filipinos camping out beside the consulate, Foreign Affairs spokesperson Raul Hernandez said only 7 women and their 7 children have signed up for the offer so far. 

“The feedback I got from Jeddah is that our people would like to be together and they would like to make sure that they will have the appropriate assistance given to them while they are together in the camp but we are insisting since we already have the temporary shelters – one is the use of 4th floor of our consulate in Jeddah and the other is a housing compound which is being offered by a friend of the consulate we are hoping to avail of these accommodations and to ensure of their safety and their health,” Hernandez said. 

The 4th floor of the consulate can accommodate up to 200 women and children while the housing compound offered by a Saudi businessman can accommodate about 170 women and men. 

Philippine authorities are also working on securing the permit of the Saudi government to use the gymnasium of a Filipino school in Jeddah. Hernandez said the consulate has also been providing food daily to the campers, an offer which they have accepted.

Hernandez said he “doesn’t understand” why the Filipinos rejected the government’s offer and disclosed that members of the Migrante party list threw paint on the gate of the consulate Wednesday.

“It has already been confirmed that we have always been there to assist and make sure that they are safe and there is a need to repatriate we would be able to repatriate them,” Hernandez said.  “So we could not understand that and we also felt bad about what happened but having said that, as I said yesterday our commitment is to help our people and we don’t have any other agenda but to make sure that our people are safe and secure and if there is s aneed to repatriate then we are able to repatriate then as soon as possible.” 

Fast-track process

Filipinos in Jeddah started setting up camps outside the embassy after the Saudi government launched a crackdown on undocumented and overstaying foreign workers in the country. 

Migrante party list said over 2,500 Filipinos have flocked to the camp but Hernandez said the consulate’s official count is at 1,000, and the number would swell to 1,500 to 2,000 during peack hours when onlookers and friends would drop by. 

Migrante has been leading calls for the government to fast-track the repatriation of Filipinos in Saudi Arabia. 

In an “open letter” posted on its website on Wednesday, April 24, Migrante vice chairman John Leonard Monterona said about 7,000 Filipinos have already signed up for repatriation as early as September 2012. He also called on Philippine officials to conduct “high level” talks with Saudi. 

The government, for its part, has repeatedly reminded Filipinos that the repatriation process, which requires them to secure “no objection certificates” from their employers as well as settle fines and penalties, would take time.  

A note verbale to Saudi Arabia has also been sent by the government for the following requests: 

  1. Waive government-imposed fees and penalties against the undocumented overseas Filipino workers;
  2. Assist in locating and negotiating with OFWs’ original sponsors to get a “no objection” certificate or, if possible, to waive this requirement;
  3. Provide emergency shelter for women and children; and
  4. Grant similar arrangements to similarly situated Filipinos in other parts of Saudi.  

Hernandez earlier asked Filipinos to be patient in waiting for Saudi’s response since it is also processing the requests of other affected countries. with reports from Angela Casauay/Rappler.com

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