200 OFWs stranded in Saudi appeal for exit visas

MANILA, Philippines–The despondent families of some 200 overseas Filipino workers stranded in Saudi Arabia sought the government’s intervention in helping get the latter’s exit visas, as they lamented that its earlier promise to bring the workers home have yet to materialize.

The workers’ exit visas have been withheld because of troubles with their Saudi Arabia employer which came about after they refused to renew their contracts due to their employers’ violations. The workers, in protest against maltreatment from employers, earlier staged a hunger strike and stopped working.

While waiting for the documents that would allow them to return home, the workers have been staying at the Philippine overseas labor office. They are dependent on the kindness of fellow Filipinos and humanitarian groups for their food and medical needs and largely ignored by Philippine officials there, according to Garry Martinez of Migrante.

During a congress hearing last month, government officials promised to help bring the workers home and to shoulder their plane fares, but still no progress has been made, Martinez said.

“The government calls them the new heroes, but their simple requests can’t be granted,” he said at a press briefing at the House of Representatives on Monday.

The families, along with Migrante, trooped to the House on Monday to seek help anew from Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño, whose earlier privilege speech on the workers’ plight triggered a congressional inquiry into the matter.

Evelyn Bañez, whose husband Danilo is among those stranded in Saudi Arabia, said the government shells out blood money to save OFWs on death row. In the same vein, it should help OFWs who have not even been convicted of a crime and who are proper, documented workers, Bañez said.

“Those who have been convicted of killings get government assistance for blood money so that they would be spared from death. It should help our relatives whose documents are in order and have not committed a crime,” she said.

Migrante’s Connie Regalado explained that the exit visas of the workers have not been issued because under the Saudi Arabia system, an overseas worker could only leave if his employer would give the release for the issuance of the visas. But the employers of the OFWs have been making things hard for the Filipinos because of their dispute over contract violations.

“This is why the government’s intervention is needed,” Regalado said, adding that the President could use diplomatic channels to secure the OFWs’ exit visas.

A tearful May Balmeo on Monday urged the government to take action as she expressed worry over her father Juanito’s deteriorating health. Juanito is insulin dependent and needs regular medical attention.

May said her family would settle for just having her father back home, and would be okay even if he would no longer get the benefits that his employer is supposed to give him.

“It’s OK if he would get nothing, rather than have him suffer and go hungry [in Saudi Arabia],” a weeping May said as she faced reporters.

“Nothing has happened to the promises. They’re making fools of us,” she added.

According to her, her father and his fellow workers have not been burdens to the Philippine government because they had paid all the necessary fees and made sure their papers were in order before they went to Saudi Arabia to work.

She also said her father has also vented his despair at his condition, asking his family during a phone call what had happened to the promises made by government officials.

Casiño said the issue was not about money anymore, but about the government making true its promise to help the workers go home.

And in the meantime that the OFWs are waiting to return to the Philippines, the government should provide for their needs such as food and medical assistance, and send Philippine embassy officials to check on them, he said. He added that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has the funds to help our countrymen.