JEDDAH: Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said she hoped to win the freedom of at least 120 Filipino workers in the Kingdom as she began her three-day visit with a stopover in Alkhobar on Sunday.
Arroyo arrived in Jeddah on Monday and is expected to meet the Filipino community. She will attend the inauguration of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) on Wednesday.
Arroyo is also expected to discuss with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah matters aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, promoting economic cooperation, the Philippines’ bid for observer status at the Organization of Islamic Conference and the welfare of OFWs in the Kingdom, according to a statement issued by the DFA in Manila. She also has a scheduled meeting with Saudi Minister of Agriculture Fahd Balghunaim.
Saudi Arabia was the last leg of her two-week three-nation foreign trip. She has visited Turkey and the United Kingdom.
Accompanying her are Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, Muslims Affairs Secretary Nasser Pangandaman and Press Secretary Serge Remonde.
Arroyo said in Alkhobar that she was working to win the freedom of at least 120 Filipino workers in distress in the Kingdom.
This was confirmed by her Press Secretary Remonde during the Filipino community gathering held at the Movenpick Hotel on Sunday night.
“We will bring home around 120 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who are in trouble here in Saudi Arabia. They are the ones whose cases have been processed,” Remonde said when asked about other stranded workers.
Arroyo said in her speech that she was able to speak on this topic with Eastern Province Gov. Prince Mohammad bin Fahd who met her at the Dammam airport. Arroyo also thanked the prince for his support concerning the welfare of Filipinos, particularly in the Eastern Province.
When Arroyo visited Saudi Arabia in 2006, more than 700 Filipinos jailed for minor cases were pardoned by King Abdullah, out of them 300 went home with the president on the same plane. Brushing aside critics who say she travels abroad too frequently, Arroyo said that her travel to the Kingdom was part of the government strategy to engage with the global community for the improvement of the Philippine economy, its national security and the welfare of more than one million OFWs. She also thanked Saudi Arabia for its major role in the Mindanao peace process.
“The Far Eastern Agriculture Cooperation, composed of 10 Saudi agriculture companies, is interested in investing in the Philippines in poultry, livestock, rice and corn,” Agriculture Secretary Yap told reporters. He also confirmed that in terms of agriculture the Philippines is on the positive side of bilateral trade with the Kingdom.
Arroyo said she was pleased that Filipino community leaders were professional OFWs working in big companies in the Eastern Province, including gas and petrochemicals, and that they were working for the welfare of the community.
“I am happy that the Filipino community is pushing hard for the holding of special examinations in Saudi Arabia held by the Professional Regulation Commission in the Philippines,” she said.
During the past month, OFWs in the province petitioned the president to implement the Embassy-on-Wheels program in the Eastern Province. The embassy had announced that the monthly program would be indefinitely postponed due to lack of funds, but Arroyo on Sunday instructed DFA Secretary Romulo to ensure the program continues.
Meanwhile, the Kapisanan ng mga Samahang Pilipino sa Saudi Arabia Congress (KASAPI Congress) petitioned Arroyo to seek a permanent solution to the problem on Filipino runaways in Jeddah, according to Corly Obtinala, former KASAPI chairman. Last week 170 stranded OFWs camped out under Jeddah’s Kandara Bridge were sent home.
The Riyadh-based 6,000-plus-member United OFW, headed by Frank Naval, also sent by e-mail a petition to Arroyo calling for the adoption of a “No Placement” policy for all job categories for OFWs; the establishment of an OFW Hospital in Metro Manila with satellite clinics in key cities; the establishment of an OFW Bank with international banking network; the implementation of an OFW Reintegration Program; a government-subsidized OFW pension plan; tax exemption for personal properties, equipment for professional practice, machines for personal business ventures; allocation of a substantial emergency fund in all Philippine embassies or Philippine Overseas Labor Offices; an innovative registration and voting system for Overseas Absentee Voting; the allocation of at least seven congressional seats for OFWs; and the creation of a Department of Overseas Filipinos.
— Dinan Arana, Rodolfo C. Estimo Jr. and Abdul Hannan Tago contributed to this report.
