Gov’t to repatriate severely injured OFW
Alfredo Salmos
MANILA, Philippines—The government is working to bring home a Filipino worker who survived accidental electrocution in Saudi Arabia last year but has been left with severe injuries and is unable to work.
Vice President Jejomar Binay, President Benigno Aquino III’s adviser on overseas Filipino workers, said his office was coordinating with the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah for the repatriation of Alfredo Salmos of Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija, who has expressed a desire to come home.
The Migrante-Middle East migrant rights group has urged the government to immediately act on the case of Salmos, who was accidentally electrocuted on the job in October 2010. The accident left him with burns in various parts of the body.
“The accident rendered him unable to work and thus (he is) in dire condition,” said Migrante regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona.
“He had been unconscious for months because of the strong electric voltage that struck him down,” he added.
Monterona said a member of Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio M. Umali’s staff had called him last week and promised to help Salmos.
But there are legal steps that have to be taken before he can be brought home, he said.
Monterona said the consulate has to locate the employer and sponsor of Salmos and convince it to issue a final exit clearance.
He said consular officials should also get a police clearance for Salmos in connection with a car accident that he was involved in 10 years ago
“First things first, we need to get a final exit clearance from his employer and secure a police clearance for the accident he got involved in 10 years ago, and a medical clearance certifying his fitness to travel,” Monterona said.
