Exodus from Saudi: OFWs flee crackdown vs illegals

MANILA, Philippines - Over 12,000 undocumented Filipinos have started leaving Saudi Arabia to avoid a crackdown on illegal migrant workers that several returning Filipinos described as brutal.

At least 30 Filipinos arrived Sunday night, several with horror stories to tell. Thirteen others, including three children, are arriving tomorrow on Etihad Airways Flight EY 424.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the government’s request for an extension of the deadline to allow overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to correct their employment status failed to get a positive response.

“The estimate is that there are still 12,729 undocumented Filipino workers awaiting repatriation and they will be repatriated as soon as they are able to get their exit clearance,” Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said yesterday.

She assured OFWs that they would not be arrested, citing the announcement of Saudi authorities that illegal migrants who have manifested their intention to leave the kingdom would be spared from arrest and imprisonment.

Sen. Cynthia Villar, whose Villar Foundation sponsored their repatriation, said the group was supposed to arrive last Saturday but the flight was delayed due to problems in documentation.

“The understanding is that as long as the document of the illegal migrant is already being processed for repatriation, they won’t be arrested,” Baldoz said.

A total of 4,330 Filipinos staying illegally in Saudi Arabia have so far been repatriated.

No more grace period

“It now appears that the Saudi Interior Ministry has already announced the end of the grace period. And since we have not received a positive response then the grace period has ended,” DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said.

“We were informed by our embassy in Riyadh that Saudi Arabia announced officially the end of the grace period for undocumented foreigners last Nov. 3,” he added.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, also the presidential adviser on migrant affairs, last week appealed to the Saudi government to extend its deadline, noting many OFWs may not meet the Nov. 3 deadline.

In his letter to King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Binay thanked the king for the first extension but noted that “thousands of Filipinos are still hoping to correct their employment status.”

Hattab Al-Enezi, Saudi Ministry of Labor spokesman, said “government agencies will swing into action the following day” with the expiration of the amnesty deadline on Sunday.

Temporary shelters

Hernandez said the temporary shelters in Riyadh and Jeddah are also ready to accommodate undocumented Filipinos.

At least 107 individuals have moved into the shelters, he said.

Baldoz said 727 Filipinos have also called up the embassy on Saturday and inquired about the shelter.

The DFA said the government’s repatriation efforts are also continuing. Around 1,500 have already completed the prescribed repatriation procedures and are waiting for exit visas.

“They would be allowed to come back to the Philippines without being penalized. We’re ready to respond to any development,” Hernandez said.

He said Saudi Arabia would still entertain applications of undocumented foreign workers to legalize their stay but the process is expected to take longer.

“Those who have already applied for repatriation and be regularized are safe. They’ll be repatriated as soon as they receive their exit visas without being arrested,” he said.

Baldoz said the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration would provide livelihood and other employment-related benefits for OFWs, while the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will allocate P50 million for the needs of those who will be affected by the Saudi crackdown.

Jail check

No arrest has been reported as of yesterday but Binay said staff of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) would check on jails and police stations and provide assistance to undocumented OFWs who might have been arrested with the expiration of the Nov. 3 deadline.

“I was informed by Ambassador Ezzedin Tago that they have coordinated with POLO Riyadh and POLO Eastern and formed teams that will inspect jails, police stations, and deportation centers starting tomorrow to check if there are any Filipinos affected by the inspection campaign after the lapse of the extension, and to provide them travel documents if necessary,” he said.

Binay said foreign workers in Saudi Arabia who have started correcting their residency or work status before the deadline would also be allowed to finish the process. He said concerned OFWs should finish processing their travel or work documents at the soonest possible time.

“Ambassador Tago said that the Saudi government, through Ministry of Interior spokesperson General Mansour Al-Turki, has announced that those who have started to correct their status and are still trying to finish the completion of their papers will be allowed to do so in the next few days,” he said.

“We are grateful to the Saudi government for allowing this despite the lapse of the four-month extension they have generously given before,” he added.

Quoting Tago, Binay said there are 1,433 OFWs awaiting immigration clearance – 441 in Riyadh and another 992 in Jeddah.

 â€“ With Pia Lee-Brago, Rudy Santos, Jose Rodel Clapano