Filipino Ambassador Ezzedin H. Tago said on Sunday that the Philippine Embassy received SR20 million in fees during the amnesty period.

Statistics on the number of Filipino workers who legalized their work status are yet to be announced, but more than 20,000 Filipino workers left the Kingdom for good.

Many Filipinos have said that they felt neglected by their country's mission. Tago, however, maintained that the embassy and consulates did their best in facilitating the processing of paperwork and lodged as many Filipino nationals as they could.

“We paid millions of riyals to cover the travel expenses of some 4,313 nationals who left the Kingdom for good,” he said. “Sadly, several overseas Filipino workers refused to undergo the legalization process and preferred to remain in the Kingdom at their own risk,” he added.

“There are still many OFWs who have yet to normalize their status. These nationals hope that the amnesty period will be extended so that they have a chance to complete their paperwork.”