Prof. Cesar, Maria Embry, Armand & Jeddah Knights:

Saan galing ang 4,500? does it mean to say wala ng distinction kung sino ang absconder or TNT ka ng10 years? kung may police/criminal case ka? paano kung may pending claims ka sa employer/companyor naka pending pa ang case mo sa Saudi Labor Court orsa Investigation and Prosecution Bureau? Ilang porseyento dian ang mga hajj or umrah over stayers?

Sa pinagdaanan natin dian ng mga nakaraang dekada huwag ninyo papayagang ma etsepuwera ang Filcomsa usapin na yan at bantayan ng maige:baka may briefing ang consulate ng umaga o tanghali at yong sumama sa biglaang briefing ng hating gabi yon ang makakauwi. Nakapagtayo ng garbong mga apartments sa Mla noong araw ang ilan sa mga yan so alam na natin ang mga diskarteng ganian. Hopefully in good faith ang proceso at wag matutulog sa pancitan ang mga distress OFWs pag umiba ang ihip ng hangin nawawala ang mga names nila sa listahan.

Kasama na ba dian ang mga OFWs na self-inflicted cases, tapos na ang sentence pero hindi makalabas dahil hindi pa na resolve ang "private rights" issues? ie. embezzlement cases etc, RTA's etc.

Kung affirmative ito, nararapat lang seguro ang ang isang advisory from Riyadh PE or Consulate sa Jeddah detailing the mechanics of such massive repat activity.

Kung ang 143M pesos ay source out sa OWWA funds - malungkot na balita ito? Papaano ang mas maraming members ng OWWA na maayos ang kalagayan sa paggawa? mauubos na lang ba ang pondo sa walang katapusang evacuation at repatriation na sa halip na palakasin ang isang comprehensive reintegration plan na kahit man lang ice plant sa mga namamalakaya nating mga OFWs o integrated farming program sa mga nagsasakang mga OFWs at kanilang mga pamilya upang suportahan ang food security program ng ating gobyerno. Hanggang ngayon mga ampaw na projects pa rin ang laman ng reintegration plan ng OWWA at walang continuity.

Pero kung ang panggagalingan ng pondo ay isang Congressional act to compel the DBM to shell out such amount at tutulong ang mahigit sa 200 plus na senador at congressmen by sponsoring at least 10-12 OFWs marahil lilihis ang 9.0 magnitude na lindol sa batasan.

Usigin at wag hayaang nakatawa ang mga crocs na recruitment agencies kung hindi sila involve sa usaping ito lalo na ang pag issue ng mga ticket at sana nasa listahan pa sa POEA ang mga erring agencies na ito.

Ngayon lang ako nakabasa ng ganiang balita sa rehiyon for the last three decades nating paninilbihan sa ating mga kababayan- exact ang number ng OFWs na pauuwiin at walang mechanics.

Palagay ninyo bilang mga pro-active na knights ng mga distressed OFWs dian sa Western Region, time na ba na pag-usapan ang issue ng another 143M pesos na pondo para sa susunod na batch ng 4,500 OFWs na ma di distress pa lang for 2011?

Where have all the TNT's gone! where have all the boys and girls have gone!

When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn!

iPadayon lang mga brods!

ka raf

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Binay: 4,500 OFWs from Saudi to be repatriated

04/06/2011 | 02:55 PM

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has agreed to facilitate the repatriation of 4,500 overstaying overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), Vice President Jejomar Binay said on Wednesday.

However, Binay said the Philippine government will need at least P143 million for the plane tickets of the 4,500 overstaying OFWs.

“The decision to facilitate the repatriation of the ‘overstayers’ is a favor we owe to the generosity of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, who has amnestied so many OFWs in the past," Binay said in a news release posted on the Office of the Vice President's website on Wednesday.

Binay added that he has already instructed the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh to work on the travel documents of the OFWs.

The repatriation will start once the required travel documentations are completed and the OFWs have acquired plane tickets, he said.

"Until this happens, the government will have to continue paying 15 Saudi Arabian Riyals per day for every OFW awaiting repatriation at the Hajj Terminal," he said.

Household workers

According to Binay, ranking ministers of the Saudi government are hoping that the issue of overstaying Filipinos would be resolved soon "so that the hiring of more household workers, which is now suspended, could soon resume."

This will pave the way for the resumption of the hiring of Filipino household workers in Saudi.

Binay said a bilateral meeting will be held in Manila starting April 15 to discuss the issue.

The Saudi officials said many Filipinos have become part of Saudi households, some have stayed with the same Arab family for around 25 years.

Binay quoted one minister as saying, “We cannot help but love them and take care of them because they rear our children with such gentleness and love."

Binay, who also met with Saudi Labor Minister Adel Fakeih, said the Saudi government was determined to reform the entire recruitment process for the benefit of the workers and their host and employers.

Among the projected reforms would be the setting up of a 24-hour hotline which employees could use to report any complaint to the authorities.

Binay also had productive meetings with Saudi and Qatar’s political leaders, leading financiers and investors, who all expressed high hopes for the Aquino administration.

He said they agreed to consider the Philippines as a possible site for significant investments in agriculture, infrastructure and renewable energy.

“This trip has further strengthened my faith in our OFWs as our most effective ambassadors abroad, and that partly because of them we have gained true and sincere friends in the highest places in the Middle East," he said. – VVP, GMA News