Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) — Over 400 workers stranded on Friday can now leave for Saudi Arabia as the government lifted the suspension of deployment over coronavirus protocol issues.
The clearance was issued after the Labor department received communication from the Saudi Arabia government which stated that employers and agencies agreed to shoulder the cost of “institutional quarantine and other COVID-19 protocols” upon arrival in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in a statement.
“I have advised the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to immediately implement this directive and provide the necessary clearance to all our departing Filipino workers to facilitate their travel to the KSA,” he said.
Bello told CNN Philippines’ Newsroom Weekend that a number of stranded OFWs bound for Saudi Arabia left at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
On Friday, the government halted the sending of workers over the supposed refusal of foreign employers and agencies to pay for worker expenses for health and safety protocols, as well as insurance.
“Imagine if you go there and they are required to pay for the quarantine expense, kawawa naman ang ating mga OFWs. Hindi pa nakaka-hanapbuhay, meron na silang babayaran,” Bello emphasized on why employers and agencies must shoulder the full quarantine expenses of Saudi-bound Filipino migrant workers.
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration provided home and food assistance to the stranded workers.
Philippine Airlines excluded 403 OFWs from joining flights from Manila to Riyadh and Dammam on Friday, although the flag carrier said it did not receive prior information about the decision.
Meanwhile, Philippine Airlines announced on Saturday it will accept workers on flights to Dammam and Riyadh cities in Saudi Arabia.
It added that OFWs may also rebook flights for free.
[Translation: Imagine if you go there and they are required to pay for the quarantine expense, our OFWs’ situation will be distressing. They have yet to make a living, but they are required to pay their quarantine expenses.]
