RIYADH: Prospero Nograles, speaker of the Philippines’ House of Representatives, heard the problems of the Filipino community in Riyadh on Saturday night. He was keen to know in what way he or the Congress may be able to help Pinoys living in the Kingdom.
“While we are here, we’re taking this opportunity to meet with you and find out how or in what way we could be of help to you,” he told a gathering of the Filipino community.
Nograles was part of a delegation that included Senator Panfilo Lacson, who came here Saturday morning to meet with Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid, president of the Shourah Council, in return for the latter’s visit to the Philippines a few years back.
During the meeting with Nograles, community members highlighted the problems encountered by domestic helpers. Their problems become acute when they are forced to escape from their employers due to various reasons, such as maltreatment or because they weren’t being paid for their work.
Nograles said that his team was exploring the possibility of the Kingdom investing in food production in the southern Philippines.
“Saudi Arabia has oil, but it lacks food. So we’re trying convince the authorities to invest in food production in the southern Philippines,” he said.
Ambassador Antonio P. Villamor served as moderator during the meeting, which was also attended by Labor Attaché Rustico de la Fuente.
The team proceeded to Jeddah and held talks at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “The chamber officials expressed interest in mutual cooperation in various fields, such as manpower recruitment,” said Villamor.
