JEDDAH — Senior officials from Pakistan and the Philippines have arrived in the Kingdom in an effort to provide assistance to their stranded countrymen. Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Pir Syed Sadaruddin Shah Rashidi called on Saudi Health Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah in Riyadh Tuesday. The visiting minister apprised the minister of the problems faced by stranded Pakistani workers whose health insurance cards have expired. Al-Rabiah assured Sadaruddin that all such workers would be provided medical treatment free of charge in the Kingdom. The visiting minister also met workers at different camps in Dammam Tuesday evening. The Pakistani minister is accompanied by Managing Director of Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) Habib-ur-Rehman Gillani. Asif Memon, deputy CG at the Consulate General of Pakistan in Jeddah, told Saudi Gazette that the minister will also visit Jeddah and Madinah during his visit. Sadaruddin will be in Jeddah where he will hold meetings with Saudi officials on Thursday afternoon. He is then scheduled to leave for Madinah before flying out to Pakistan on Aug. 20. Memon, in reply to a question regarding handling of stranded workers' cases, clarified that the missions check out each and every issue reported to them. "As and when they come to us we try our best to help them out. Of late we have started creating a database of all those who have approached us." The workers have also been provided with food and medicine by the missions, Memon added. According to Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a total of 10,395 affected workers are residing in 20 camps in Riyadh, Jeddah, Taif and other places. Meanwhile, Labor Secretary of the Philippines, Silvestrre Bello III, carried with him President Rodrigo Duterte's letter thanking Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman for extending assistance to the stranded OFWs. Aside from giving free exit visas to at least 9,000 OFWs, the Kingdom has also committed free airfare to the stranded Pinoys who may want to return to the Philippines. At least 9,000 OFWs lost their jobs in Saudi Arabia due to retrenchments amid the oil crisis plaguing construction companies. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said it has provided a total of P58.66 million in relief assistance to the affected OFWs and their families. Before leaving Manila, Bello said his team will convince the OFWs to return home instead of lingering in Saudi Arabia. He assured the OFWs and their families that work is waiting for them in the Philippines, under the government's programs through the OWWA and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Bello also assured continuous assistance to the OFWs and their families through the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. — With input from Agencies
