Manila:The Philippine government will ask for a reprieve of 90 more days from authorities in Saudi Arabia, for the repatriation of overseas Filipino workers who have been working there illegally.
The proposed amnesty period, after July 9, will give Manila’s foreign affairs department more time to work for the proper repatriation of an estimated 2,000 OFWs who have camped out outside of the Philippine consulate office in Jeddah since April 11, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario told the Philippine Information Authority, the government’s information office.
At the same time, a TV report showed an OFW who was asking apology for having left her employer ahead of the end of her contract.
Many OFWs who have camped out in front of the Philippine consulate office in Jeddah since April have no papers showing that their employers are allowing them to leave Saudi Arabia.
Philippine government officials have been asking all illegal OFWs to have this kind of paper in order to fast track their repatriation from Saudi Arabia.
At the same time, the Philippine government is also seeking for the waiver of payment of penalties for OFWs who have decided to return to the Philippines.
If the Saudi Arabian government agrees to the proposed 90-day extension period, illegal OFWs would not be arrested on July 9, said del Rosario, adding the proposed additional amnesty period is necessary for the Philippine officials to help all illegal OFWs leave Saudi Arabia.
Authorities in Saudi Arabia have given all illegal foreign workers a deadline on July 9 to leave Saudi Arabia.
By that time, the Saudi Arabian government will start implementing its new immigration policy to arrest and deport workers with no proper documents. The policy includes giving priority for the employment of local residents in Saudi Arabia.
More than one million OFWs are based in Saudi Arabia.
They are part of an estimated nine million OFWs based worldwide.
The Philippine government is extending extra assistance to all OFWs. They have been sending an estimated $ 20 billion to their loved ones in the Philippines every year.
