RIYADH, 9 February 2004 — Homesick Filipinos here have found a way to overcome loneliness by going to the city center of Batha at night and on weekends to sell Globe, Smart and Talk-n -Text pre-paid phone cards to compatriots.
“You could see them seated on benches or standing in corners passing time away while looking out for fellow Fililpinos whom they discreetly approach and offer the cards. While it’s true that they do this to turn idle hours into cash, it’s also one way of forgetting homesickness,” said Elpidio Tanaliga, who heads the 2,800-member Sangguniang Masang Pilipino (Filipino Grass Roots Forum.
Tanaliga said that these peddlers have regular jobs during the day so that earning extra money on the side is secondary.
“Many of those who have just arrived go to Batha to forget homesickness. But they have also thought of cashing in while passing time away by selling phone cards. At the request of customers, they themselves send by text the card numbers to people close to the customer ,” he said.
Batha is the old downtown Riyadh where many expatriates go on weekends to buy various items being sold at relatively low prices or to meet people. In fact, it may be said that for expatriates, all roads lead to Batha on weekends.
The phone cards are sold from SR22 to SR24. “Two phone cards are sold for SR45,” said an OFW who has been texting these cards to the Philippines.
“They make good money to augment their incomes. They could make anywhere from SR50 to SR150 a night, depending on how patient and resourceful they are,” said an official of the Movement to Help Eradicate Rape (MOTHER).
But those who really make big money in selling phone cards are those who are friendly and could disarm possible customers with profuse smiles, warmth and camaraderie.
Aside from phone cards, these people also sell stamps.
“I have seen them in street corners, patiently asking fellow Pinoys if they are in need of stamps. They are in the different parts of Batha, like the wide parking area behind the five tall buildings,” said Albert Bauzon of Tau Gamma Phi and a management coordinator at Hewlett-Packard.
Like the phone card vendors, these stamp vendors are on the lookout for probable customers as they roam around the parking area.
