Saudi Gazette Jeddah — Hundreds of Filipino women and children are expected to expedite their paperwork to return home under an amnesty scheme as the Saudi authorities relaxed the mandatory DNA test requirement for children who have no legal documents. The DNA test was required for ascertaining the identity of parents. But with relaxed rules requiring only a birth registration certificate from the Philippine consulate, children can now go home along with their parents. However, the requests of some other undocumented Filipino workers for exit visas were declined by the Saudi authorities as applicants were under investigation and also had private rights issues, according to official sources. Saudi Passport authorities have also extended visiting days exclusively for Philippine nationals at the deportation center in Shumaisi to facilitate a larger number of applicants. The Philippine consulate is operating special buses to the deportation center in Shumaisi near Makkah to transport their nationals. As of last week, some 5,675 Filipino workers in the western region had sought their consulate's help to return home, said Philippine Consul General Imelda M. Panolong. She said that 4,300 workers have been referred to the Expatriate Affairs Department of Saudi Passports at the Shumaisi deportation center. Of them 2,893 have been able to secure exit visas. The consul general said that more than 851 of those who received exit visas have already returned home with airfares shouldered by the Philippine government. "Manila is open and willing to pay the airfares of all those eligible and needy Filipino workers who were stranded in the Kingdom," she said. The consul general said that some workers with their children born here and having no documents were required to undergo a DNA test. However, the Saudi authorities relaxed the rules and are now accepting birth registration certificates issued by the Philippine consulate.
