“We are disappointed in the way we were treated. Labor Attache Albert Valenciano did not even answer me when I greeted him when we showed up at the BK. We were bringing donations for the wards and not asking for any favor,” said Neil Regine, the chairman of the PMSE’s Continuing Education Committee.
The BK is a Philippine government shelter for Filipino women who have run away from their employers and whose cases are currently pending with the Saudi Social Welfare Administration (SSWA).
Regine said that the grocery items and food for the wards cost SR6,000, but instead of being happy for helping the wards the BK officials behaved as if they were embarrassed with the gesture.
Regine added that Valenciano asked them to park their cars away from the BK office and prevented the men from entering.
Edgar Bunatano, adviser and incoming president of the organization, added that Valenciano should not have acted the way he did because, “we were trying to cheer up the distressed BK wards. The money spent for the grocery items and food was hard-earned. The officials and members contributed together to raise it, and were expecting something in return.”
Valenciano told Arab News that it was all right that the engineers group thought of the wards in the spirit of Christmas but only a limited number of PSME representatives should have gone to the BK to bring the donations.
“This shelter is not officially allowed so we don’t want to make it very visible. This won’t be possible if all of them were accommodated,” he said.
Saudi Arabia law generally forbids the mingling of unrelated members of the opposite sex and is wary of large gatherings in private residences.
The BK is located off embassy premises, in a villa, and officials are concerned about having a large gathering of members of both sexes at the villa for any reason.
He added that the PSME officials and their families should understand that the POLO has its limitations in its efforts to give shelter to female OFWs who have run away from their employers.
Asked why he did not tell them before hand that only few should bring the donations, he said: “They know about this. They have been here for a long time, much longer than me.”
