ALKHOBAR, 10 Sept. — Ambassador Bahnarim Guinomla has assured the Filipino community in the Eastern Region that the Embassy on Wheels will now be visiting the area every month.
During the “Kapehan sa Park Hotel” held recently, Guinomla said the new schedule is in response to the clamor of the community to establish an extension office in Alkhobar.
Community leaders have been complaining that they have to wait for at least two months just to renew a passport or ask assistance from the embassy, when it takes only a day to do the same in Jeddah and Riyadh.
Guinomla said the consular team will also visit far-flung areas like Jubail and Khafji so that the workers in those place will not have to travel to Alkhobar.
The POLO-OWWA in the Eastern Region Operations had launched the “Kapehan” which will be held every month to allow community leaders or members to exchange their views with embassy officials.
Assistant Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre, chief of the ERO, said the forum is also a direct feedback mechanism for mission for purposes of policy formulation.
The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh will also be putting up an Information Unit to answer queries of OFWs through e-mail and Internet, said Guinomla, who became ambassador to the Kingdom in July.
The information unit will help the community for easy and faster dissemination of information, particularly on the hot issue of Gulf War claims.
Guinomla also briefed OFWs on his priority actions as instructed by President Gloria Arroyo, which is “to nourish and strengthen the ties binding the Philippines and Saudi Arabia as manifested in the Kingdom’s contribution to the Philippine government’s efforts in uplifting the lives of Filipino Muslims, especially those in Southern Mindanao.”
He said the president has also “instructed me to help protect the welfare of this great number of OFWs in all aspects.”
Guinomla also said that the government wants the Philippine mission to intensify their efforts at economic diplomacy, and to promote the Philippines as a tourism destination for Saudis and as OFWs themselves.
Just recently, President Arroyo ordered a shift in the nation’s economic priority to strengthen the small- and medium enterprises (SMEs) from the current export-oriented industries. This was meant to protect the Philippine economy from the decline in importation of Philippine products as a result of the financial crisis affected some countries, particularly the US and Japan.
Guinomla said this new policy should be a welcome development for OFWs, who should now seriously look into becoming entrepreneurs themselves. “Entrepreneurship is the most possible way toward reintegration to Philippine economy,” he said. He said investors should take advantage of business and livelihood opportunities especially in Southern Mindanao.