Press Release
16 May 2013
PH embassy rejects request to conduct medical mission for stranded OFWs
The Philippine embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia rejected the request to hold a medical mission for stranded overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) mostly women, some with children, reportedly are sick and still inside the PH embassy compound seeking help for their repatriation, according to Filipino migrants rights’ group MIGRANTE.
On May 13, 2013, a letter jointly signed by the chairpersons of MIGRANTE and Gabriela Women’s Party chapters in Saudi Arabia, Patricia Enriquez and Sarah Gabriel, respectively, was sent to PH ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ezzadin Tago requesting the holding of a medical mission for stranded OFWs who have camped inside the PH embassy compound.
“In reference to the current situation of the distressed OFWs stranded inside the embassy premises, we would like to inform you that AVICENNA Clinic, and Magrabi Hospital Riyadh staff nurses are conducting a medical mission on Friday, 17 May 2013 at 12:30n to 3:30 p.m.,” stated the two OFW women leaders in their letter sent to Amb. Tago.
Two days after, the PH embassy through its Administrative Officer Mr. Mohanad Taha Guinomla replied rejecting the request to hold medical mission.
“We regret that we are unable to accommodate your request for a medical mission for the OFWs inside the Embassy premises,”Guinomla in his letter reply dated Ma7 15, 2013, adding that the Embassy is closed to the public on Fridays.
PH embassy’s Guinomla cited that for security reasons, they ‘can’t allow non-embassy personnel to enter the premises’. He, however, assures that they’re ‘always ready to extend medical assistance to the distressed OFWs and bring them to the hospital should they require such assistance.’
PH embassy-Riyadh May 15 letter reply to OFW groups request to hold medical mission for stranded OFWs who have encamped inside PH embassy compound since May 4, 2013.
On his part, MIGRANTE vice-chairperson and middle-east regional coordinator John Monterona criticized the PH embassy’s rejection to the request to hold a medical mission.
“The very aim of the medical mission is to attend on the medical needs of the stranded OFWs who have been inside the PH embassy compound since May 4. They have reported to us that the PH embassy is not providing them food, water, medicines, and sanitation and in fact, the donations (food, water, and medicines) from various OFW groups were bared and were not allowed to reach to the stranded OFWs,” Monterona lamented.
Monterona said the PH embassy should have prepared and sent a notice holding a medical mission inside the PH embassy compound to Saudi’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and wait for the latter’s reply.
“To turn down the medical mission and yet no embassy medical assistance given to the stranded OFWs especially to the children and sick is clearly a disservice and tantamount to criminal neglect,” Monterona lamented.
“Instead of helping the stranded OFWs who have camped inside the PH embassy since May 4, Amb. Tago used the same old tactics in harassing the stranded OFWs to force them leave the PH embassy compound in Riyadh,” Monterona added.
Monterona noted on the 2nd day of the encampment of the stranded OFWs inside the PH embassy compound, Amb. Tago ordered his staff to cut off the electricity and water lines where the 120 stranded OFWs, mostly women and some with children, have stayed at the old canteen inside the PH embassy.
“Amb. Tago ordered the PH embassy closed and the donations for the stranded OFWs coming from various Filipino organizations such as food, water, and sanitation were confiscated. Then, he is now blaming MIGRANTE and various Filipino organizations who have supported the stranded OFWs in their fight for free, swift, mass repatriation as he claimed that the embassy’s operation have been affected,” Monterona adding that it was Tago who ordered the embassy closed where in fact the stranded have camped inside the compound of the embassy far away from the main building of the embassy where daily consular services being held.
On May 6, Tago ordered his staff to talk to Monaida Angko Dimarao, 30, from Parang, Maguindanao, to convince her that the embassy will only provide medication to her 10-month old daughter who has hydrocephalous, if they will leave the encampment inside the PH embassy. She hesitated but was forced by embassy staff and get way her daughter who was brought inside the PH embassy building.
After hours of waiting and sensing that there is no update of the promised medication of her daughter by the PH embassy staff, she and other fellow stranded OFWs went to PH embassy building to demand that her daughter be back with her. (Attached link of the recorded video sent by a stranded OFWs to MIGRANTE’s Monterona http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhWCYxcJayE&feature=youtu.bev)
“We can’t understand why Amb. Tago is forcing the stranded OFWs leave the PH embassy compound who only wanted a sanctuary inside the PH embassy while awaiting the assurance and action of the PH embassy for their repatriation. The PH embassy is supposedly the most secured place for our stranded, distressed, and abused OFWs,” retorted Monterona.
Monterona said the number of stranded OFWs in Saudi Arabia seeking assistance for repatriation surges to 7,500 and is expected to balloon to around 12,000 as the Saudi govt.-imposed grace period deadline to fix the documents and legalization of undocumented migrants will end on 8 July 2013.
Reference:
John Leonard Monterona
Vice chairperson, MIGRANTE
Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator
Mobile No. +63 923 420 0112
