Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo held talks with Saudi officials on Tuesday, focusing on labor supply to Saudi Arabia. Arroyo, arrived Monday night on her return trip to the Philippines after attending the Davos World Economic Forum and visiting Italy. The president meet with the Filipino community here Monday evening, Filipino community leaders have urged Arroyo to make a plea to the Saudi government to grant clemency to several Filipinos facing the death penalty. A huge crowd of Filipino workers went to the airport as early as 7 P.M. after the embassy told Filipino community leaders in Riyadh that she was arriving at 7:30 P.M. She arrived at 10 P.M. The embassy later told the crowd that Arroyo's arrival was delayed owing to thick snow in Italy. At the embassy, Arroyo was given a warm reception with stage performances by the Ambassador's Chorale and IPSR Dance troupe, a group of students from the International Philippine School in Riyadh. Many in the crowd came forward to greet her after she delivered a speech about her government's achievements, particularly in creating overseas jobs for Filipinos. Arroyo assured the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that there are always jobs for them in other countries owing to her government's thrust on opening new job markets. “(The Philippine government) is not sleeping.... For our government, it is now pay back time. The heroic efforts of our expat workers will not go unreciprocated,” she said. Arroyo added that Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), along with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), has come up with a program to assist OFWs who were laid-off from their jobs abroad to start a business, study or attend training to upgrade their skills. “The first part of the program will be the Filipino Expatriate Livelihood Support Fund to be funded by OWWA with 1 billion pesos ($20.833 million) and supported by government lending institutions like Development Bank of the Philippines and Land Bank,” she said. The program will also accommodate those in the export industry. From the embassy, she went to the Palace Hotel where she stayed overnight. On Tuesday, Arroyo met with officials of the Ministy of Agriculture and Ministry of Commerce. She was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis, +Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and other officials. Philippine embassy officials kept mum on what issues were taken up at the meeting but reports said they were mainly about labor supply. The Philippines is one of Saudi Arabia's major labor suppliers. About one million Filipinos – from housemaids to engineers – work in the Kingdom. Arroyo, who has made it a point to meet with Filipinos overseas during her trips to other countries, left for Bahrain at about 5 P.M. on Tuesday. Philippine embassy officials raised hopes on Tuesday that the Philippine delegation's meeting with Saudi officials will “result in an exchange of visit in the very near future.” In Manila, OWWA Administrator Carmelita Dimzosn confirmed that the agency has set up P100 million worth of grants for d OFWs displaced by the global financial crisis. In a press conference, Dimzon said that so far only eight OFWs have applied for the President's Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program. About 5, 036 OFWs lost their jobs between October 16 last year and January 28 this year, according to records of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). Taiwan has the highest number of retrenched OFWs at 4, 140. The United Arab Emirates sent home about 298 OFWs. 152 workers from Macau and 180 froml Canada. Private workers groups said the number of workers who lost their jobs could run to tens of thousands. Displaced OFWs are given four options to help them overcome the economic crisis. First, they are referred to a registered placement agency and are offered another overseas employment. Second, OFWs who want to work in the Philippines are referred to the Bureau of Labor Employment to find local jobs. Third, OFWs who want to stay home for good are referred to Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC) and are given grants and scholarships for “retooling.” Fourth, OFWs who prefer to become entrepreneurs are assisted to put up their own businesses and are given P50,000 loan as a start-up capital, according to OWWA officials. Displaced OFWs can get outright grants of P10,000 or a P50,000 loan if seek OWWA's help but they are required to submit a proof of OWWA membership, proof of displacement in the global financial crisis, business proposal, a promissory note and marital consent for married borrowers.
