Press Release No. 65-2018
DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs assures distressed OFWs in Jeddah PCG of continuous government assistance; discusses assistance to nationals programs with Filcom
Jeddah, 24 December 2018 – DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola assured distressed Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of continuous government assistance during a meeting with them held at the Jeddah Philippine Consulate General (PCG) grounds on 22 December.
During the meeting, Undersecretary Arriola also handed out gifts and cash assistance to some 230 distressed male and female OFWs who are currently staying at the Jeddah PCG Bahay Kalinga.
Undersecretary Arriola assured that the welfare of OFWs is among the priorities of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, as part of his transformative (“pagbabago” or positive change) leadership. She said that the budget allocated to help overseas Filipinos has significantly increased during President Duterte’s term, which totaled to PHP1 billion this year, compared to PHP400 million in 2017. This amount covers various assistance such as medical, financial, repatriation, and shipment of remains, among others, to distressed Filipinos overseas.
On December 23, Usec. Arriola also met members of the Filipino Community (Filcom) and discussed the programs currently in place as far as assistance to OFWs is concerned. She thanked the Filipino community for supporting the government in carrying out its important foreign policy mandate of protecting and promoting the welfare of OFWs.
Jeddah PCG caters to about 370,000 OFWs in the western region of Saudi Arabia. As of 6 December 2018, Jeddah PCG has disbursed, among other forms of assistance, a total of PHP8 million in medical assistance and PHP7 million in welfare assistance to OFWs, making it among the highest providers of said assistance among Philippine foreign service posts.
Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola (standing on stage), with Consul General Edgar Badajos (seated on stage), addresses some 230 male and female shelter wards of Jeddah Philippine Consulate General and explains the government’s provision of assistance to OFWs, during a program held at the Jeddah PCG grounds on 22 December.
Undersecretary Arriola (seated on left) answers queries of FilCom members in the western region of Saudi Arabia during her meeting with them on 23 December.
