Press Release No. EBB-30-2020
PH CONSULATE GENERAL IN JEDDAH GIVEN SPECIAL CITATION FOR ITS REPATRIATION EFFORTS IN THE MIDST OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC
JEDDAH, 23 July 2020–– The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah (Jeddah PCG) was conferred a special citation for its repatriation efforts and other measures it had undertaken to help overseas Filipinos in distress in light of the COVID-19 pandemic during the commemoration of the 122nd Founding Anniversary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) held earlier today.
Jeddah PCG joins seventy (70) other Philippine foreign service posts that also received this prestigious award in recognition of going beyond the call of duty to help Filipinos in distress under their respective jurisdictions who have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
During the virtual DFA Day celebration awarding ceremonies, Civilian Security and Consular Concerns Undersecretary Brigido J. Dulay said that the award is given to Philippine foreign service posts and their personnel who, in the face of uncertainty and great risk to their personal wellbeing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, courageously assisted in the repatriation of thousands of Filipinos worldwide. “The repatriation initiatives are in support of the DFA’s COVID-19 response to mitigate the effects of COVID-19,” he added.
It may be recalled that Jeddah PCG mounted three (3) Philippine Airlines (PAL) chartered flights on June 17, July 3, and July 17, respectively, bringing home over a thousand OFWs who were economically displaced and were stranded in the Saudi Arabia because of the COVID-19 crisis. Those repatriated were able to go home to the Philippines without any cost on their part as the expenses for the chartered flights were borne by the Philippine government.
Between March and July, Jeddah PCG also worked in tandem with the Philippine Labor Office and various Filipino community organizations in Jeddah to deliver food packs to overseas Filipino who were affected by the “no-work, no-pay” policy adopted by many Saudi companies because of the pandemic.
Consul General Edgar B. Badajos said that the repatriation of distressed OFWs in Jeddah and the Western Region of Saudi Arabia is part of the Philippine government’s firm commitment to bring home overseas Filipinos who would like to be repatriated amidst the economic crisis being experienced by many countries caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. “The repatriation activities are part of the Philippine government’s program to assist OFWs stranded in other countries whose financial means were affected by the economic crisis caused by Covid-19. This is in line with the country’s foreign policy thrust of promoting and protecting the welfare of Filipinos overseas,” Consul General Badajos said. –END-
DFA officials at the 122nd Founding Anniversary of DFA. In photo are Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Teodoro Locsin Jr. (center), Undersecretary for Administration Eduardo Malaya, and
Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns Brigido Dulay.
Jeddah PCG was among the 71 Philippine Foreign Service Posts which were conferred
a special citation for repatriation efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
