Press Release No. 42-2018

Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah CONTINueS to SUPPORT Stranded FILIPINO Workers

Jeddah, 14 June 2018 – A team from the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah composed of Consul Rodney Jonas L. Sumague, Welfare Officer James Mendiola and Mr. Tristan Perez, revisited on 13 January 2018 the camp of a major Saudi contracting company where around 70 male Filipino workers still remain while awaiting full settlement of their unpaid salaries and other benefits, exit visa and plane tickets from the company.

Consul Sumague (leftmost) distributes food packs to the stranded workers.

The Consulate Officials distributed food packs to the workers provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs. Welfare Officer Mendiola also explained to the workers the financial assistance program of the Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration (OWWA) which their families in the Philippines can avail themselves of.

WELOF Mendiola (center) explaining to the stranded workers the financial assistance program of OWWA. 

The company, which employed more than 600 Filipino workers, has been beset by financial problems leading to its inability to pay the salaries and benefits of its workers on time. Aside from providing food packs, the Philippine Consulate has been assisting the workers in their negotiation with the management and in filing cases with the Saudi Labor Office. More than 330 Filipino workers have earlier been repatriated with the assistance of the Consulate. END