Eleven Filipinos are finally going home after receiving their exit visas and benefits from their bankrupt company. A twelfth worker of the now-defunct Al-Swayeh company will also be getting his exit papers soon.

Six are scheduled to leave today, with the other five going on Saturday, said Ambassador Ezzedin H. Tago yesterday. The 11 workers visited Tago on Tuesday to thank the embassy and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) for their help.

The 12 workers are part of a larger group of 97 Filipinos who sought the help of the Philippine government after their company had declared bankruptcy. The other Filipinos have already gone home. Al-Swayeh employed 700 workers from different countries.

Tago said the embassy and its labor section led by former Labor Attaché Albert Q. Valenciano and Welfare Officer Leonardo Rodrigo had helped settle the case with the Ministry of Labor and the Riyadh governor's office. "The Saudi government created an inter-agency committee to address the issues faced by the workers of Al-Swayeh company,” the envoy said.

On March 25, Tago informed the 12 Filipinos of the personal representations he made to Riyadh Gov. Prince Khaled bin Bandar on March 19 and Labor Minister Adel Fakeih on March 24.