Exit visa processing of OFWs begins

The process of issuing exit visas for 10 of the 88 Filipino expatriates living in government-run shelters has begun, according to Philippine deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte.
Valte said that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and embassies in Jeddah and Dubai had been attending to the needs of the OFWs who were staying at the shelters.
President Benigno S. Aquino III posted the news on his Facebook page confirming that employers of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) housed in government-run shelters in Saudi Arabia were cooperating with the Philippine government in facilitating exit visas to allow Filipino workers to return home.
According to a source in Manila, Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapiliz-Baldoz reported that an employer of the OFWs staying at government-run shelters had assured the Philippine government of full cooperation in fast-tracking the issuance of exit visas of the workers.
She said the Philippine government was also fast-tracking the review and processing of cases involving OFWs so that they could secure the needed exit visas. Previously, the issuance of the exit visas of most OFWs was delayed because of the lack of certain documents from their employers.
In text messages to Arab News, the Philippine ambassador quoted an embassy statement as saying that the mission continued to press erring employers for the repatriation of its Filipino workers while it continued to engage in dialogue and extend assistance to the affected workers.
The embassy, through the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO), continued to extend assistance to 88 Filipino workers of Al-Swayeh in Riyadh. The workers are currently staying at POLO’s offices in Riyadh.
In conversations between POLO-Riyadh and the workers, Labor Attaché Albert Valenciano said the delay in their repatriation was due to the continued failure of the employer of Al-Swayeh to facilitate the issuance of their exit visas. Valenciano emphasized the fact that the Filipino workers had completed their contracts and did not abandon their work. He also gave assurances that as soon as exit visas are secured, the OWWA-Manila would provide them with plane tickets home.
Strong representations are also being made with high officials of the office of the governor of Riyadh and the Saudi Ministry of Labor for the implementation of a decision compelling Al-Swayeh to facilitate the repatriation of the affected workers.
On July 30 and Aug. 1, POLO-Riyadh officials met with Al-Swayeh management representatives to press for the early release of the exit visas. They also met with Abdulaziz Mohammad, assistant to Deputy Minister of Labor Hamad Al-Hodaithi to request for the payment of the end-of-service benefits of 28 workers who have not received this benefit, as well as to pressure Al-Swayeh to facilitate the issuance of the exit visas. Al-Swayeh was required by the Saudi Government to pay the immigration penalties for its failure to renew the residence permits (iqama) of its workers.