The Philippine Consulate General here sent its first consular mobile service this year to Abha and Khamis Mushaty last Jan. 22-23. Consul General Ezzedin Tago made the announcement as he reiterated the consulate's “commitment to serve the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs)” in Jeddah and other parts of the Western Region. Tago said the mobile team received about 420 applications for the new machine readable passports in January or about 17 percent more than the 360 it issued in August last year. The mobile team attended to a huge number of OFWs from Asir region in January at the Al-Azizia Hotel in Abha. “There was a marked increase in the number of applicants (for passport) which makes the team more inspired to conduct mobile service in places far away from Jeddah,” Tago said. Aside from issuing passport, Tago said the team, led by Consul Leo Tito L. Ausan Jr, also gave advised to 22 OFWs with various problems ranging from family relations to job-site issues. He said legal assistance was also given the staff from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, headed by Assistant Labor Attache Adam Musa and Welfare Office Romeo Pablo. SSS representative Benjie P. Hermoso has also served 200 SSS members.
