The Philippine government has agreed to relocate stranded overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs will find shelter, food and medicine for the elderly and infirm, according to John Leonard Monterona, vice chairperson of MIGRANTE.

The agreement between the Aquino administration and MIGRANTE followed an April 30 meeting to discuss the repatriation of about 4,000 OFWs who have camped outside the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah since April 8.

The consulate’s fourth floor can accommodate about 200 people, and the school gymnasium around 300 for individuals seeking shelter. The DFA also agreed to increase its staff by hiring people who will negotiate with the sponsors.

The agreement followed a protest on April 29 when families of OFWs pitched tents in front of the main gate of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila to press the Philippines for repatriations of family members stranded in Saudi Arabia.

Monterona said that after a two-hour meeting on April 30, “we got what the families and stranded OFWs wanted to hear from the DFA officials.”

He credited the agreement to families camping at the DFA building in Pasay and simultaneous protests at the DFA and OWWA regional offices in Pampanga, Laguna, Davao and General Santos City.

Monterona said that as early as September 2012, there were 7,000 stranded and distressed Filipino workers who sought government assistance for repatriation. After listing their names and giving pertinent information, they were asked to come back for update only to be told that there would be no mass repatriation.

However, the meeting resulted in the DFA agreeing to find shelter with food, water, proper sanitation, and medicines for the sick and old Filipino workers.

Foreign Minister Del Rosario will visit Saudi Arabia soon to meet his Saudi counterpart to explore the possibility of a grant of general amnesty. “If not, to fast-track the issuance of waiver or ‘no objection certificates’ by the sponsors.”