We call on the DFA not to wait for the worst. ACT NOW!!!

We call on the DFA not to wait for the worst. ACT NOW!!!

We would like to ask the Philippine government what their plans are to alleviate the sufferings of OFWs taking rerfuge in a tent city outside the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah, in the face of the surging numbers of affected groups.

A growing number of overseas Filipino workers have found themselves isolated in Saudi Arabia following a crackdown on undocumented workers in the kingdom.

Around 1,500 and still growing numbers of undocumented workers, including women and their children, flocked to the Philippine consulate in Jeddah last week to seek their government's help.

"They are setting up tents for shelter and their numbers are growing," said John Leonard Monterona, coordinator of the international migrant group Migrante.

Philippine officials earlier expressed fears that as many as 20,000 Filipinos are in Saudi Arabia without proper papers. Despite well publicized problems and abuses, the kingdom remains a top destination for Filipino overseas workers, with about 1.5 million there currently.

Migrante earlier reported that at least 30 Filipinos have been arrested in the Saudi government crackdown on undocumented workers. But the DFA earlier said that they are “unaware of of arrest of any Filipino worker” only highlighted the Government’s ineptness to cope with the situation. The usual wait and see stance of the Philippine government is again very evident. The fact that they are undocumented and therefore not members of OWWA, they must keep in mind that the OWWA funds are there, paid for by OFWs who are documented, major part of them has at the moment no need for helps. The funds must be open to all OFWs, Furthermore, it is not just the OWWA funds that could be availed to assists the depressed migrant workers. There is also the funds of the Assistance to National (ATN) funds. Are they waiting for things go worst beyond recall?

"We are worried about their condition, especially the health of children and women, considering the high temperature," said Bobyy Fajarito, spokesman of the Jeddah Filipino Society.

 “Doing nothing to relocate them to a safer and more comfortable shelter is tantamount to criminal neglect by the government," Monterona said.

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Labor launched the Nitaqat Scheme, also referred to as 'Saudization,' earlier this year. It directs employers to hire Saudi nationals ahead of migrant workers.

The Saudi authorities have become noticeably more meticulous in monitoring undocumented migrant workers. Nitaqat allows officials to set up checkpoints and conduct raids on offices, shops and other businesses to monitor the employment of its own people and check on documents and permits.

Migrante president Connie Bragas-Regalado said the Philippine government has yet to take any concrete action on the matter. “[Filipinos] are either in deportation centers, in jail or in fear of their lives and welfare."

Regalado said the crackdown was sudden and unprecedented. Undocumented workers, she added, are mostly victims of abuse and maltreatment who ran away from their employers.

In a development late last week, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah announced a three-month suspension of the crackdown, to give expatriates time to correct their work permits before they face penalties, deportation or a lifetime ban. 

The DFA must avail of these grace period to escalate the process of repatriation of the depressed migrant workers.