PH seeks Saudi Arabia deadline extension

By: 11 years ago

Vice President Jejomar Binay. 蜜桃工作室 FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines鈥擳he Philippines has asked Saudi Arabia for more time to repatriate Filipinos illegally in the kingdom, Vice President Jejomar Binay said on Sunday.

鈥淭here are still around 1,500 Filipinos whose papers have not been acted upon. But we鈥檒l have to understand that it鈥檚 not only the Filipinos who are affected by this requirement. So, hopefully, this registration for repatriation can be given another extension,鈥� Binay told reporters at the inauguration of the Shandong Association of the Philippines officers in Pasay City.

The deadline for the amnesty given by the Saudi king to undocumented migrants lapsed on Sunday, after which Saudi authorities will round up, jail and deport all illegally aliens.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it had repatriated 4,020 Filipinos from Saudi Arabia but there were 1,500 more whose papers were being processed for immigration clearances.

Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, DFA spokesman, called on the Filipinos there to leave their makeshift 鈥渢ent city鈥� and proceed to the temporary shelters set up by the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh and Jeddah 鈥渇or their own protection.鈥�

But Malaca帽ang on Sunday downplayed the impact of Saudi Arabia鈥檚鈥淪audization鈥� policy, saying that the government had 鈥減repared mechanisms that would give Filipinos opportunities to move to other companies or get into other professions.鈥濃€�Jerome Aning and Christian V. Esguerra

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