DMW: PH gov’t eyeing jobs in Saudi Arabia for OFWs fleeing Sudan

The Philippine government is working to find temporary jobs in Saudi Arabia for overseas Filipino workers fleeing the violence in Sudan, Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople has said..

"We are trying to explore the possibility that those who wished to be hired, instead of coming home kasi naiintindihan naman natin 'yung iba ayaw umuwi kasi iniisip nila wala din naman kaming trabaho doon, might as well stay," Ople said.

"Then tingnan natin kung baka humupa 'yung sitwasyon ano, but we're exploring the possibility of temporary jobs for them in Saudi Arabia. We are working this out and we will have more concrete information once we work this out," Ople added.

Ople will be leaving for Cairo, Egypt tonight to check the situation of Filipinos affected by the situation in Sudan.

She said 725 Filipinos contacted the Philippine Embassy to seek assistance, and with that number, 327 sought repatriation.

"The President's directives were number one, to get all of them to safety as quickly as possible. Number two, it shouldn't matter whatever papers they have or if they don't have any papers at all..." Ople said.

"To quote the President, kung marunong mag-Tagalog, marunong mag-Bisaya, marunong mag-Ilokano, marunong ng iba't-ibang dialect sa atin, Pinoy 'yan, we will help," she added.

Ople said welfare assistance desks would be established for Filipinos in need. She added that $200 would also be given to each worker.

"Ang immediate kong tasks would be to set up our welfare assistance in the various border points and also to assist and provide any support needed," Ople said. —NB, GMA Integrated News