JEDDAH, 11 July 2007 — The repatriation of more than 800 Filipinos stranded in Jeddah is almost complete, the Philippine Consulate General said yesterday.
With the departure of 40 last night, only 60 remained at the Tarhil or Deportation Center, said Vicky Salian, head of the consulate’s Assistance to Nationals Section. She said 40 left for the Philippines on Saturday and 128 followed on Monday morning.
Consul General Pendosina N. Lomondot said he expected the last of the distressed Filipinos to fly home by July 12.
“They should have all been repatriated last week after they were cleared by the Passport and Immigration Department but there were not enough seats available in scheduled flights to Manila,” he said.
Lomondot accompanied the last batch to be transferred from the “processing center” at Jeddah Seaport to the Deportation Center on Sunday.
More than 200 of those repatriated came to Jeddah from different places in the Kingdom. The bulk, which included women who came to the Kingdom for Umrah or Haj and overstayed, were based in Jeddah.
