Correct working status, Filipinos in Saudi Arabia urged

Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Vice President Jejomar Binay on Sunday urged Filipinos in Saudi Arabia to take advantage of the three-month reprieve granted by Saudi King Abdullah for foreign workers to fix their working status in the kingdom.

“I call on our ‘kababayan’ in Saudi to grab this opportunity to correct your status. Follow the labor laws of your host country and resolve any work violations you might have committed,” Binay said in statement.

He said the government was grateful to the Saudi king for the reprieve and urged Philippine Embassy officials in Saudi Arabia to extend assistance to Filipinos needing to correct their status.

There are 1.5 million Filipinos working in Saudi Arabia and some 20,000 are undocumented.

“Given this number, it is important for our diplomatic offices to work double time to make the most of the three-month grace period,” Binay said.—Christine O. Avendaño