Camping Filipinos in Jeddah agree to go back to shelter

JEDDAH—Filipinos camped outside the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah on Friday said they were ready to go back to Al-Mina Haj Terminal near the Jeddah Islamic Port as asked, according to the labor rights group Migrante-Middle East.

Hoping to force the consulate officials into speeding up the process of getting them home, some 300 of them have been camped outside the building for over three weeks already because of the excessive time taken to process their repatriation. By Friday, most had returned to the terminal, but around 50 had remained.

“The consulate and the government’s unfulfilled promises led us to decide to set up a camp outside the consulate building as a manifestation of our disgust and peaceful collective action,” leaders of the stranded told Bobby Fajarito, Migrante-Jeddah chapter chairperson.

John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-ME regional coordinator, said the stranded overseas Filipino workers camped outside the consulate “wanted us to mediate” and arrange a meeting with the consulate officials in the presence of a third party.

“They are demanding to see their travel documents and tickets before they go back to their shelter at the Haj terminal,” Monterona added.

“With that development, I have asked Migrante officials in Jeddah to meet the leaders of the stranded along with consulate officials this Saturday or Sunday to end their repatriation concerns once and for all,” Monterona added.

Monterona said based on his group estimates, there are about 4,000 stranded and undocumented people staying at the Haj Terminal, Bahay Kalinga and Filipino Workers Resource centers in Alkhobar and Dammam since January.

“These numbers do not include those who are seeking refuge from their friends and fellow OFWs who managed to get work despite their being undocumented. Their number ranges from 2,800 to 3,500 all over Saudi Arabia,” Monterona said.

According to the data from the consulate, there are 1,160 stranded OFWs at the Haj Terminal admitted since January 2011.

In 2009, 815 OFWs were repatriated through the Haj Terminal operations, while 1,429 in 2010, according to a statement issued by the consulate.

“Counting the number of stranded people seeking repatriation will be a never-ending process unless the Aquino government gets serious enough to address the root cause which is forced migration and the push to the intensified labor export program,” Monterona added.

Monterona pointed out that many of the Filipinos who ran away from their jobs did so because of inadequate protection against labor abuses, most notably delayed or nonpayment of salaries.

“If something isn’t done by the Philippine government to provide better protection against labor abuses, physical and sexual, the problem with the stranded and undocumented will continue,” he added.

“The huge number of OFWs seeking repatriation is a serious concern,” he pointed out. “The number of undocumented expats is increasing and if the Aquino government does not act now, the succeeding administration will be caught by surprise.”

“It can’t be denied that the government is earning billions from OFW remittances that equate to 10 percent of the country’s gross domestic product,” Monterona said. “But when it comes to protecting the rights of OFWs, the government lacks the will even though it has the means and resources to sort this out with the governments hosting OFWs.”