About 1,000 to 2,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Riyadh joined the first day of a clean-up activity in Batha last Friday. The “Batha Clean Up Drive” project was launched by an organization of Filipino workers in Riyadh as part of the Philippine embassy's commemoration of 111th Philippine Independence Day. Ambassador Antonio P. Villamor lead the volunteers to sweep, scourge and remove plastics and other kinds of wastes matters in the vicinity of Batha Business Commercial Complex. The area also covered the Batha Holy Mosque, Al-Ghuraib Street, Sony Commercial Center Building up to the end point of Pinoy Supermarket Plaza park. Aside from Villamor, Labor Attache Rustico dela Fuente, Vice Consul Paul V. Saret and other embassy officials joined the community leaders and volunteers in the activity. “This campaign is unique for the Filipino community. It's their first as far as Batha is concerned,” said Villamor. “Batha is most frequented by Filipinos on weekends. For this reason alone, it's proper that Filipinos undertake this campaign,” he added. The “Batha Cleanliness Drive Project” is a brainchild of the Philippine Embassy, Western Union and the Filipino community in Riyadh with the assistance of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Call and Guidance Office in Riyadh and Pinoy Supermarket. At the closing ceremony, Pinoy Supermarket Owner Omar Al-Malki lauded the support of the embassy and the Filipino community to the campaign. Among the organizations which extended their support to the project are the United OFWs, Computer Society of Filipinos (Comsofil), Alpha Phi Omega Riyadh Alumni Association (Aporaa), Tau Gamma Phi Treskelon, Siliman University Alumni Association, Bago, Gurdian Brotherhood, SE Productions, Kapatiran Sa Gitnang Silangan, Musa, The Filipino Channel, UNTV and GMA7. The individuals were Frank Naval, Mario Ben, Romulo Raz Abanto, Ranie Basanta and Mohammad A. Mua.
