DAMMAM, 26 April 2006 — Two Filipino umbrella organizations in the Eastern Region, who could hardly meet and agree on issues concerning programs for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), have joined hands in seeking the relief of the top Philippine labor official in the region.

Officials of the All Filipino Community and Sports Commission (Afcscom) and the OFW Congress in the Eastern Province (OFWCEP) yesterday said they have signed a joint petition for the immediate recall of Labor Attaché Delmer Cruz as head of the Eastern Region Operations of the Philippine Embassy for several reasons.

Both Afcscom overall chairman Roilo Alojado and OFW Congress president Ernie Mapanao confirmed that the two groups forwarded the petition on Monday to the embassy in Riyadh, the Department of Labor and Employment in Manila, and the Philippine Congress.

Cruz told Arab News that he has not seen the petition. “I reserve the right to respond to the statement,” he said, adding that he wants to see a copy of the petition and examine the signatures.

In an e-mail to Afcscom members, Alojado mentioned the following issues against Cruz:

1. Failure to implement government support programs and projects that could have benefited OFWs in the Eastern Region. No projects/programs organized for the OFWs since Cruz assumed office,

2. Failure to show leadership and rapport with the community,

3. Continuing problems in following-up and solving OFW cases,

4. Ineffective communications facilities at the POLO/OWWA post. Hotlines are not being answered in cases of emergencies.

5. Lack of vehicles in the post, resulting in failure of support to distressed workers.

6. Lack of much-needed support to community leaders who assist distressed OFWs.

7. No proper information dissemination of important circulars from the Philippine Embassy/Philippine government.

8. No support for community and sports projects in the Eastern Region.

Alojado said 39 community leaders signed the petition, including 21 incumbent directors of Afcscom and past chairmen Ransam Pirote, Andy Reyes, Lito Alpay, and Jojie Apolinario.

Alojado said Cruz’s administration paled in comparison to that of his predecessors.

“As leaders, we need to do what is proper and correct, for the benefit of our respective constituents and the OFWs in general,” he said.

Sammy Perez, also a past overall chairman of Afcscom and who now heads the Ras Tanura OFW Association (Rofwa), said he did not sign the petition.

“As far as Rofwa is concerned, we believe that the POLO-ERO did their share in (helping) the community here,” Perez said.

Eighteen of the OFW Congress’ officers signed. But the group’s executive vice president, Dong Bonite, said that he did not sign because while he himself has some personal reservations with Cruz, the petition was hastily done. “The congress should have convened first all its members before filing the petition,” Bonite said.

Cruz said he was surprised with the petition since he had been invited to numerous seminars and induction ceremonies of community groups for the past weeks.

Alojado stressed that the Overseas Absentee Voting registration in the Eastern Region was not properly coordinated by POLO-ERO with Afcscom. Cruz explained that the registration is being handled by Vice Consul Gerry Abiog, who went on emergency leave to Manila.

It was learned that the embassy in Riyadh coordinated both with Afcscom and the Filcom Jubail for the OAV registration there, which caused the confusion. “It is sad and surprising to hear this because we are now strengthening the harmonious partnership of both the embassy and the community groups as far as welfare is concerned,” Cruz said. “It is only the authors who would know their motives behind this alleged petition.”