“We want Ambassador Villamor to be retained. He is a seasoned diplomat who understands the A to Z of local laws and customs and traditions. He also initiated new programs that were novel in  concept, such as the Filipino blood donation campaign,” said Michael Pacheco of the Alpha Phi Omega Riyadh Alumni Association.

He added that Villamor  also led a cleanup drive in Riyadh’s Batha district, which was done by the embassy for the first time since diplomatic ties were established between the two countries.”

Villamor’s tour of duty ended on Sept. 30, 2010.

Francisco Naval, chairman of the  United OFW, which boasts 8,000 members, added, “Ambassador Villamor had already established goodwill and good relations with the Saudi government. He had been working in collaboration with various OFW organizations regarding the  advancement of workers’ welfare. Above all, he had initiated projects that would boost economic ties between the Philippines and Saudi Arabia.”

One of the big projects that Villamor initiated was for Saudi Arabia to produce food in southern Philippines. This would not only further cement the already strong ties binding the two countries but would also generate jobs for Filipinos.

The Team Barkadahan’s chairman who requested not to be named added, “Under the leadership of Ambassador Villamor, OFW concerns were unfailingly attended to. He saw to it that there was enough allocation of funds for distressed OFWs at the Bahay Kalinga (BK). He found ways to raise funds for their  plane tickets.” The BK is the temporary shelter for distressed OFWs, specifically women.

The OFW leaders made the call after  John Leonard Monterona, Migrante Middle East regional coordinator, urged Aquino to immediately deploy an ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

“It is of the best interests of Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia to  have an ambassador named and deployed as soon as possible as head of the Philippine mission due to political uncertainties in the region,” Monterona said in a statement.

Monterona said that more than five months have passed since Ambassador Villamor ended his tour of duty. “We cannot understand that despite the clamor of Saudi-based OFWs … President Aquino is not making any move in this direction,” Monterona said.