OFWs picket shelter in Jordan

Around 30 stranded overseas Filipino workers have picketed in front of the Philippine Embassy-run shelter in Jordan to press for their repatriation, a migrant workers' rights group said on Tuesday.

"We have received reports Monday from our Migrante colleagues that around 30 women OFWs, all distressed and stranded, have staged a peaceful demonstration in front of the Philippine Embassy-run shelter in Amman, Jordan," Migrante-Middle East  coordinator John Monterona said.

Monterona said that the picket went for an hour and  that the picketers demanded that they be repatriated.

"There are still more than 40 distressed OFWs temporarily staying at the PH embassy Filipino Workers Resource Center since 4th quarter of 2012. They’re different from the 30 who have staged a peaceful demonstration yesterday," he added.

He said some of the 30 OFWs have previously sought assistance of the Philippine embassy and labor officials for their repatriation but were told to stay outside or on their accommodations because the FWRC cannot anymore accommodate them.

"We have been campaigning for their repatriation since early last year," Monterona said.

He said President Benigno Aquino III should ask the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Labor and Employment to submit a comprehensive report on the numbers of all distressed OFWs temporarily staying at Philippine embassy or consulate-run Filipino Workers Resource Centers and Bahay Kalingas.

"P-Noy should order DFA and DoLE to fast track the mass repatriation of all the distressed and stranded staying at PH shelters in the Middle East," he said.

Some 3,000 stranded OFWs in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia have camped out beside the Philippine Consultate building since April 10 to ask for their repatriation. - Dennis Carcamo