23K Saudi-based OFWS want to return
AT least 23,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFW) are now seeking aid from the government to be repatriated from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The mass exodus of OFWS comes as the Saudi government imposes its own quarantine protocols, which disrupted business operations, to contain its spreading novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) crisis. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said most of the affected OFWS were victims of companies that were forced to stop operations because of the quarantine restrictions in KSA. However, Labor Attaché for KSA Naser Mustafa said these also include those who were required to undergo a “no work, no pay” arrangement, as well as undocumented and runaway OFWS.
Exit visas
OF the 23,000 OFWS, 5,900 were able to secure exit visas. “We were able to send home more than 2,700 through special flights and chartered flights of DOLE, DFA [Department of Foreign Affairs] and their companies,” Mustafa said during an online press briefing on Thursday. Mustafa noted they are having difficulty bringing home the other OFWS because of the unavailability of regular flights. He noted they are now hoping to repatriate the affected OFWS either through flights chartered by the Philippine government or with help from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Mustafa said flights to and from KSA are expected to normalize by next year.
Temporary suspension
ASIDE from the lack of regular flights and business closures, Mustafa said the growing number of Covid-19 cases in KSA also prompted them to temporarily suspend the verification of the employment contracts of OFWS bound for the Middle East country. This in effect will prevent new OFWS from going to KSA, which has been the top destination for OFWS for decades. Based on latest data from the World Health Organization (WHO), there were already 136,315 confirmed Covid-19 cases in KSA. “So how will we allow our countrymen to work here if this is the current situation in Saudi Arabia?” Mustafa said. Mustafa said they will only consider resuming the contract verification once Covid-19 infections in KSA start to decline. “Here in Saudi Arabia, the way I look at it, they are still not ready [to accept] foreign workers. In fact, they are encouraging [foreign workers] to go home [to their countries] for now,” Mustafa said.
THE Department of Health (DOH) is coordinating with the National Task Force against Covid-19 and some experts following a rapid spread of the virus in Region 7, particularly in Cebu City.
This, as Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire reported that as of 4 p.m. of June 18, the confirmed cases have risen to 27,799.
On Thursday, 562 additional cases were recorded.
The DOH said that of the additional cases recorded, the highest number came from Region 7 with 273 cases, followed by the National Capital Region with 120, and other regions logged 22 cases.
On Thursday, three offices of the Department of Justice and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) had to shut down for disinfection and quarantine after certain staff tested positive for the virus.
Vergeire said during the DOH Beat Covid televised press conference on Thursday that they are closely looking and studying the situation in Region 7.
On July 17 a total of 4,015 confirmed Covid-19 cases were recorded in Cebu City. Its mayor had explained earlier that the number of cases is high in Cebu City since it hosts most of the tertiary medical facilities that infected people from around the region go to for treatment.
The city was also placed under enhanced community quarantine.
Meanwhile, of the additional cases recorded as of Thursday, 481 were detected as fresh cases and 81 were validated as late cases. The fresh cases are based on the daily accomplishment reports submitted by only 45 out of 59 current operational labs.
The DOH also announced 270 recoveries. This brings the total number of recoveries in the country to 7,090.
Nine deaths were recorded. The death toll stood at 1,116.
Vergeire reminded the public of their responsibility to observe preventive measures as protection against Covid-19.
“Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Vergeire stressed.