|
By Katrice R. Jalbuena, Reporter
Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their
families picketed the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA)
and filed applications for reimbursements en masse to demand
immediate repatriation of at least 200 overseas workers and their
family members in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and the reimbursement of
their plane tickets.
Migrante International also called for a full
accounting of OWWA’s repatriation funds and the release of names
of OFWs reportedly slated for repatriation in the coming weeks as
declared by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
“Despite personal assurances from RP Jeddah
Consulate General Ezzedin Tago to a group of 24 stranded OFWs who
subscribed to his so-called due process for repatriation—these
OFWs were thrown for more than a month inside Saudi Arabia’s
deportation centers and then compelled to pay for their own tickets
home,” lamented Connie Bragas-Regalado, Migrante International
Chairperson.
“We demand that the Arroyo government,
particularly the OWWA, reimburse them immediately,” said Regalado
as the OFWs and her group filed for reimbursements at the OWWA main
office in Pasay City.
According to six OFWs recently repatriated, they
and their families were told by the OWWA and the Jeddah consulate
that they had to produce up to P20,000 (almost $400) for their
tickets home.
“This contradicts public pronouncements by the
OWWA and a written report by the DFA that says the Philippine
government will pay for the tickets. It also violates stipulations
in the Migrant Workers’ Act that says if an OFW’s recruitment
agency does not comply with orders to provide a plane ticket, it is
the OWWA that should pay for this cost, and the funds are to come
from a P100-million Emergency Repatriation Fund,” Regalado added,
citing Article XV (Repatriation of Filipino Migrant Workers) of the
Omnibus Rules and Regulations Implementing RA 8042.
“The stranded OFWs already had no money
because they were victims of underpayment or nonpayment of their
salaries and were without work for many months, [but] the Arroyo
government dared to squeeze from them the cost of their
repatriation,” she explained.
“A full accounting of the P100-million
Emergency Repatriation Fund is needed to ensure it too hasn’t
fallen victim to the high-level corruption endemic in this
administration,” she stressed.
During the group’s picket at the OWWA, they
also called for the release of names of those reportedly slated for
repatriation to address the confusion ensuing among the OFWs and
their families about who is set to come home.
Migrante claims that more than 200 OFWs and
their families have been left behind in Jeddah, while the Department
of Foreign Affairs counted less than 200. Meanwhile, the Department
of Labor and Employment counted at least 84 in Jeddah, and about 100
more OFWs and their families stranded in Riyadh.
The DFA believes that miscommunication through a
text message led to hundreds of OFWs to camp out under a bridge in
Jeddah. Having taken the back door entry and having work problems
such as nonpayment of salaries, they were hoping to take advantage
of quick deportation procedures and return to the Philippines within
days.
Filipino OFWs from all regions of Saudi trooped
to the area hoping to catch a bus allegedly to be provided by the
Jeddah immigration services for quick processing and return to the
Philippines. Only a few were able to board the bus, and the
deportation procedures were only for those who had overstayed on a
Hajj or Omra visas.
According to DFA Undersecretary for Migrant
Workers’ Affairs Esteban Conejos, the original number of Filipinos
under the bridge was 237. Of these, only 91 were able to board the
bus they had been promised would be there.
“They were Muslim pilgrims who had overstayed
their Hajj or Omra visas,” said Conejos. “They were able to show
the proper papers and immediately processed by Saudi immigration
officials and allowed to return to the Philippines.”
According to Conejos, some OFWs questioned why
the consul could not simply issue them new identity papers declaring
that they were pilgrims so they could go through quick deportation
procedures.
“We could not do that,” said Conejos. “We
will not agree to any situation where we will be a party to
misrepresentation or falsification of public documents.”
The 91 pilgrims were repatriated, and the consul
proceeded to aid the other 146 OFWs who wanted to go home.
Many were reluctant as not all were documented
workers and some were fleeing abusive or adverse working conditions.
However, Conejos pointed out that returning to their region of
origin was an essential step in facilitating their exit from Saudi
Arabia.
“For an OFW to be repatriated there are
certain processes they must go through,” he said. “While it is
easy to go home as an overstaying pilgrim, the Saudi government
themselves will even pay for the ticket, [but] it takes a little
longer for an OFW.”
|
