Filipinos seek repatriation of dead volunteer

A stranded Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who temporarily sought refuge at the Tent City for pilgrims in Jeddah died on Monday due to lingering asthma, said a spokesman for the Filipino migrants rights group, Migrante-Middle East and North Africa (M-MENA).
Arab News sought clarification from the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah on his death, but did not receive a response.
Fellow OFWs who volunteered at Tent City used social media sites to draw the attention of the Philippine mission to repatriate the body of their compatriot. His body is now at King Fahd Hospital Morgue.
“My only wish is to send the body of the deceased to the Philippines,” Hasmin Andong Macmud told Arab News. She said the deceased, who was a nurse, was volunteer who served fellow OFWs in the tent camp.
M-MENA Coordinator John Leonard Monterona said the OFW had been identified as Louie Bedaho Belista, 36, a native of Nueva Vizcaya.
Belista died inside the Tent City at around 11.30 p.m. on Monday, said Marlon Gatdula, chairperson of Migrante-Jeddah, who rushed there along with other Migrante officers upon alert from other stranded OFWs.
“Belista had been helping sick and stranded fellow OFWs at the Tent City since April when they put up tents beside the Philippine Consulate building to demand government assistance for their repatriation,” Gatdula added.
Migrante-Jeddah’s Gatdula disclosed that Belista was confined twice to a hospital in Jeddah but that proper medication was not administered.
“Our Migrante official has already informed his kin. Prior to his death, Belista sought assistance from Migrante after he complained about the lack of medical assistance from the Philippine Consulate and labor officials,” Gatdula revealed. “He was the sixth person to die at the Tent City in Jeddah,” said Monterona.
Monterona issued a statement on July 9 citing reports from stranded OFWs in Jeddah saying that a 2-year old child died mid-June at the consulate shelter, as well as a 20-month-old toddler who reportedly died on June 30.
“There was also an ailing elderly woman who died some time in June at the consulate shelter in Jeddah. This brings the total to five deaths. Three were already confirmed by Philippine officials in Saudi Arabia, while two remain to be confirmed,” Monterona said.
Monterona said they have repeatedly warned the Philippine government and its consulate in Jeddah to fast-track the repatriation of stranded OFWs, especially those with children, women and the sick and elderly.
“The number of deaths may increase if there is no medical assistance and their supposed immediate repatriation has been delayed. The Saudi government has set Nov. 1 as the deadline for repatriation,” Monterona added.
Migrante-MENA said that there are at least 400 stranded OFWs in Jeddah who have sought government assistance for repatriation.