More OFWs in Saudi seek repatriation

MANILA, Philippines - Aside from the 4,000 undocumented overseas Filipinos workers (OFWs) camping outside the Philippine embassy in Jeddah, hundreds of Filipinos in Riyadh and other parts of Saudi Arabia are seeking immediate repatriation.

Labor group Migrante International yesterday reported that about 200 undocumented OFWs have also staged a protest outside the Philippine embassy in Riyadh to demand their immediate repatriation. 

“First Jeddah, now Riyadh, and more OFWs are also seeking free, immediate and mass repatriation in Dammam and Al-Khobar,” Migrante said.

Migrante noted that the Philippine government has not yet repatriated even one OFW since 4,000 OFWs started camping outside the Philippine embassy in Jeddah. Many protesters were arrested and 66 were harassed and threatened by embassy officials.

The group said OFWs in Saudi are giving the Aquino government until May 15 to start repatriating stranded OFWs en masse “or expect bigger protests from OFWs and their families in the Philippines.”

Tech-voc training for displaced OFWs proposed

The national government and Congress were also urged to allocate more funds to technical-vocational education and training (TVET) scholarships for the unemployed, particularly the returning OFWs from Saudi Arabia.

Margs Molina, head of Margaphil Technical Institute in Pasay City and a candidate for councilor in the city’s first district, said that TVET will retool returning OFWs, who may opt to work in the Philippines or try their luck in employment in other countries.

“There are many TVET options that can be offered to our returning OFWs or even to unemployed people here in the country. Allotting funds for TVET scholarships will fast-track the process for these unemployed people to rise and become productive citizens,” Molina said.

“The government has to step up and provide opportunities to these returning OFWs so we can give them hope of another chance of getting jobs with decent or high pay either here or in other countries,” she added.

Molina also said that the accessibility of TVET in Pasay City has assured business establishments in the city’s emerging business and tourist districts such as the Newport complex in front of the NAIA Terminal 3 and the Pagcor Entertainment City in the reclaimed Manila Bay City area of a large pool of skilled workers. -With Perseus Echeminada