Saudi Government Implements Amnesty For Undocumented OFWs
5000 Illegal OFWs in Saudi Arabia will soon meet their families in the Philippines as the government grants amnesty which was implemented earlier this week.
A group of senior officials from the Department of Labor and Employment was deployed to KSA to assist qualified OFWs for the 3-month amnesty program. The group includes Labor Undersecretary Dominador Say, DOLE Assistant Secretary Mariano Alquiza, POEA Representative Patricia Jacobo, Hans Cacdac of OWWA, Deputy Administrator of OWWA Brigido Dulay, Representative of OWWA Cesar Chavez Jr., and Officer-in-charge of International Labor Affairs Bureau Mary Sol dela Cruz.
“We will be setting up centers to process their papers so they could take advantage of the 90-month amnesty program,” according to Say. He also added that they will be providing processing centers in Jeddah, Riyadh and Al Khobar. These repatriates will also receive assistance from Bureau of Local Employment and OWWA.
It is expected that throughout the amnesty period, the repatriation of OFWs will be much easier and convenient especially because these OFWs are exempted from any other documentary requirements including exit papers and No Objection certificate from their employers.
BUNOS : Amnesty for All Rsidedency and Labor Violators Starting March 29 to June 29
The group of officials sent by the Philippine government will also address the money claims, especially those OFWs previously employed by companies such as Saudi Bin Laden Group, Saudi Oger Ltd., MMG and other companies suffering from the financial crisis in KSA.
Finally, the group is tasked to help prepare for the official visit of President Duterte in Saudi by next month, starting from April 10 to 12.
“We will be looking at certain bilateral agreements and other matters the President could discuss with the King of Saudi Arabia”, according to Say.
