ALKHOBAR, 1 May — Filipino community leaders from the various ACP organizations and Philippine schools based in the Eastern Region expressed their support to assist distressed OFWs.
In a seminar on crisis intervention conducted recently at the Park Hotel here in Alkhobar, more than 50 community leaders took time to attend and discuss possible ways of extending labor and welfare assistance to Filipino workers facing difficulties in their work.
Organized by officials of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the activity was part of the Labor Day celebration.
The seminar, with its theme entitled Suliranin ay may lunas kung ikaw ay may sapat na kaalaman, focused on the need to inform the OFWs not only of their rights but also the various mechanism, procedures and remedies available in resolving their work-related problems.
The seminar was intended to equip the ACP leaders with the necessary tools and training to enable them to guide OFWs in need of help, said Labor Attaché Jainal Rasul Jr.
Rasul and Supervising Welfare Officer Sotero Tornea, Jr., who both organized the seminar, stressed the important role played by ACP organizations in disseminating proper information and counseling to OFWs.
Rasul is one of the lead proponents of the ACP program of the Philippine Embassy's labor section.
The topics discussed during the seminar include, among others, the steps and procedures in settling OFW complaints, repatriation requirements, rules and procedures at the Saudi Labor office, OWWA programs and projects, OWWA membership and medicare, hospital assistance and other welfare services.
Aside from Rasul and Tornea, the resource speakers during the seminar were case officers Bajunaid Andi, Abdulrauf Agao and Najeer Oquendo, administrative officers Ma.. Lourdes Sedano and Cyril Indanan.
Roi Alojado of SAHI, together with George Palencia of the United Bicolanos and Tony Coloma of COFWA and FMC-EP, expressed the accredited groups' commendation for the unprecedented efforts being done by the POLO-OWWA officials and the leadership of the Philippine Embssy as a whole.
Next month, the POLO-OWWA will launch its Hatid Tulong program next month. Rasul presented the new program to the Distressed Workers Management Committee in the Eastern Region, which he said will be implemented in coordination with the various ACP groups.
The programs seeks to deliver and farm out food donations, medicines and material assistance to distressed OFWs in various parts of the region, Rasul explained. (AN)
