Press Release
September 28, 2008

Villar urges formation of emergency group to help stranded Pinoys in Middle East

Senate President Manny Villar today urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to form an emergency multi-sectoral group specifically for the purpose of helping the 2,700 Filipinos stranded along the Oman-United Arab Emirates (UAE) border and 5,000 more in the Iran-UAE border.

Villar said the group, composed of the DFA, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, the Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. or other respected organizations of recruitment agencies and labor organizations, will be the lead authority in helping come up with concrete measure to help the stranded Pinoys.

"Government must show firm resolve in ending this crisis. Assistance to our more than 7000 stranded kababayans must be immediately extended," Villar said.

"The Assistance to Nationals Fund of DFA and other OFW funds administered by OWWA must be released soonest for immediate evacuation, safekeeping, repatriation or simply to purchase basic necessities for the distressed migrant workers," he added.

The Nacionalista Party president also said he is willing to help in the repatriation of stranded Filipinos back to the Philippines.

Villar also urged the Philippine embassy in Oman to do their best to appeal to the Oman sultanate to help resolve the crisis.

"In the meantime, we expect the embassy officials to help distressed Filipinos there facilitate their visas and papers," he added.

Villar noted that many Filipinos were forced to leave UAE after it implemented on July 29 a new visit visa law that requires previous visa holders to reapply as tourists, resulting in the rejection of thousands of visa applications from Filipinos.

The visit visa procedure has become the easiest way for Filipinos who want to work in the Middle East, doing away with the costly and difficult process of the normal OFW deployment, he said.

"We also gathered reports that many of the stranded Filipinos survive in poor conditions and take refuge in crammed hotel space in Oman," he added.

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