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"We deplore the government for its continuing neglect towards 16 stranded OFWs seeking immediate assistance for their repatriation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia."
Thus declared the families of 16 stranded OFWs and the MIGRANTE Party List in a rally at the gates of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
"The DFA is not acting on the 16 stranded workers’ plight. These OFWs were not only neglected by Philippine Embassy officials in Riyadh. The Philippine government now refuses to repatriate them despite a P1,679,850 repatriation fund allocation for 2004," MIGRANTE Sectoral Party Vice Chairperson John Monterona said.
MIGRANTE also said the 16 stranded workers were subjected to ill treatment by Philippine diplomatic officials in Riyadh, who viciously terminated their hunger strike last December.
"The stranded workers, who ran away from abusive employers, were shackled and escorted to a hospital by Saudi police via express orders from the Philippine Embassy. They were later released. All they were pleading for through the hunger strike was for their immediate repatriation that the Department of Foreign Affairs and the OWWA could easily do when it musters the political will to take action," Monterona averred.
According to MIGRANTE-Saudi Arabia, the 16 striking overseas Filipino workers only need to be granted their air tickets from Philippine authorities, which will facilitate their early repatriation via deportation.
The OWWA and the DFA have only sent recommendation letter to the 16 OFWs’ private recruitment agencies to shoulder their air tickets.
"This is contrary to the promise of DFA Migrant Workers Affairs Undersecretary Jose Brilliantes that the Philippine government would see to the 16 OFWs’ repatriation. Some of the stranded OFWs’ agencies have already closed down. Government should not abandon its responsibility to repatriate these jobless OFWs," Monterona charged.
We shall continue to raise the pressure for government to shoulder the air tickets for the immediate repatriation of the 16 OFWs. We will not permit the further neglect of these OFWs in distress," Monterona ended.#
MIGRANTE Sectoral Party
National Office: 115-B Kamuning Road,
Quezon City, Philippines
Telefax: (63-2) 415-1924
Email: migparty@tri-isys.com |
MIGRANTE Saudi Arabia Condemns Arrest of Leaders of Filipino Migrant Organizations
