Consulate calls on OFWs in western region to register

RIYADH: The Philippine Consulate in Jeddah has announced that the number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the western region has reached 170,000.
“The number is based on the figures of the Saudi Ministry of Interior. However, we believe the number could be bigger, because many OFWs are unaccounted for, such as those who ran away from their sponsors and the so-called ‘freelancers’,” Consul General Uriel Norman R. Garibay told Arab News on Friday.
He said they were conducting a campaign to encourage all OFWs to register at the consulate, so that it could have an updated list and know the exact number of Filipino workers in the western region.
Garibay said the campaign is undertaken by disseminating information through the press and by word of mouth through the Filipino community leaders.
He said the advantage of having an accurate number of OFWs is that when the consulate calls for a meeting among the Filipino community leaders for various purposes, the latter would know how OFWs are working or residing in their respective areas.
“Whenever we get invited by the Filipino community in various parts of the region, we take the opportunity to spread the word about the campaign, requesting them to register at the consulate,” he said.
He said that consulate officials get invited to attend functions in various parts of the western region as far as 1,000 km away.
“We make it a point to reach out to them, because it’s not only part of our job, but also because OFWs contribute much to the Philippine economy. Called ‘Modern Day Heroes’, they help prop up the country’s dollar reserves with their monthly remittances through the legal banking system. As of August this year, OFWs’ remittances had reached $ 15.39 billion.
“Once more, I am calling on all OFWs in the western region to visit the consulate for registration. Doing so is also for their own benefit,” Garibay said.
He said they may do this when they have other reasons to visit the consulate such as passport renewal, application for a special power of attorney, or consular assistance.
Garibay said the dollar reserves are used by the Philippine government in opening letters of credit in foreign banks for importation and other purposes.
He said of the 170,000 OFWs, 68,000 live in Makkah province, 45,000 in Madinah province, 11,400 in Tabuk, 17,000 in Asir, 11,100 in Al-Baha province, 11,400 in Najran, and 11,400 in Jazan province.