JEDDAH, 30 May 2007 — Community groups and individuals who may wish to help are being called upon to donate food and other basic needs for victims of bad employers and “fixers” who have sought shelter at the Philippine Consulate.
“We are calling once again on community organizations and kind-hearted individuals for help for these victims while we are working on their problems,” said Welfare officer Abdurajik Samain, noting that the number of distressed workers who have come to the consulate is rising.
Samain said the number increased to 132 yesterday, up from 96 on Sunday when the mostly male distressed workers trooped to the consulate after being frustrated in their attempts to seek immediate deportation by Saudi authorities.
The number does not include Umrah and Haj overstayers, who have also flocked to the consulate in hopes of getting free plane tickets for the Philippines. Dozens of Filipino women, mostly domestic helpers, are also housed at a shelter at the consulate, which is being ran by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
Consul General Pendosina Lomondot, together with Labor Attaché Bulyok Nilong and Samain, met with leaders of the distressed workers yesterday and assured them that the Philippine government was providing their plane ticket going home.
Lomondot also told them that the consulate is now seeking assistance from concerned Saudi agencies in providing exit visas needed for the workers’ repatriation.
Consul Jose Jacob met with the other workers who were not in the meeting and told them not to worry about their plane tickets. “The problem right now is to secure exit visas and the consul general has made this a top priority,” he said.
The officials yesterday reiterated their warnings to other Filipino workers not to be swayed by talk that they could easily leave the Kingdom via Jeddah.
“Pakiusap lang sa mga kababayan, lalu na sa mga nasa Central o Eastern regions na kung may problema kayo, hindi solusyon ang pagpunta sa Jeddah. Hindi totoo na may backdoor exit dito. Pagkukuwartahan lang kayo ng ilang tarantadong mga kababayan (I appeal to our compatriots, especially those in the Central and Eastern regions, that if you have problems, going to Jeddah is not a solution. Don’t believe in those who say you can pass through the “backdoor exit” in Jeddah. You are only being duped by some unscrupulous compatriots),” Samain told Arab News.
He urged those in the Central region to call the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh and those in the Eastern region to call POLO-Alkhobar.
The consulate in Jeddah covers the Western Region.
The following are the contact numbers:
Riyadh: Assistance to Nationals Section (01-480-1918/482-4354/480-3662), Bahay Kalinga (01-481-6448), POLO (01-483-2201/2202/2203).
Jeddah: 02-6600-348, 6670-925, 6600-354, or 6696-303.
Alkhobar: 03-897-1085.
