Sunday, August 2, 2009

August 1, 2009

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/168826/Mga-nais-maging-OFW-pinayuhang-tiyakin-kung-kakayanin-ang-kalungkutan

Mga nais maging OFW pinayuhang tiyakin kung kakayanin ang kalungkutan
08/01/2009 10:12 PM

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – Pinayuhan ng isang opisyal ng embahada ng Pilipinas sa bansa ito ang mga Pinoy na nagpaplanong magtrabaho sa ibang bansa na tiyaking kakayanin nila ang kalungkutan na mawalan sa mga mahal sa buhay.

Ang payo ay ginawa ng opisyal matapos lumitaw na labis na kalungkutan ang nagtulak sa isang Pinay domestic helper kaya ito tumalon sa isang gusali na naging dahilan ng kanyang pagkaka-ospital.Ayon sa welfare officer ng Philippine Consulate General sa Saudi, tumalon umano mula sa unang palapag ng gusaling pinapasukan noong Hulyo 3 si Veronica Lascano, 24-anyos.Nagtamo ng pinsala sa katawan ang biktima at patuloy na nakaratay sa King Fahd Hospital sa Jeddah.

Sa panayam kay Lascano, sinabi nito na mabait naman ang kanyang mga amo at hindi rin niya maisip bakit niya nagawa ang tumalon. Inamin niya na lagi niyang naaalala ang kanyang pamilyang naiwan sa Pilipinas.

"Hindi ko po alam ang gulu-gulo ng isip ko noon. Kahit po ako iniisip ko kung bakit ko nagawa ‘yun," kuwento ni Lascano.“Wala naman akong problema sa amo ko. May mga kasama naman ako pero ‘di ko po alam kung bakit ko nagawa ‘yun, lagi nga po akong umiiyak at laging naiisip ang aking pamilya," idinagdag niya.

Tubong Malolos, Bulacan si Lascano at dumating sa Saudi Arabia noong Marso 2. Naiwan niya sa Pilipinas ang kanyang asawa at dalawang anak.

Dahil sa nangyari kay Lascano, pinayuhan ng mga opisyal sa konsulado ang mga nagbabalak na magtrabaho sa ibang bansa na tiyaking handa ang sarili sa kakaharaping kalungkutan sa abroad.Aminado naman ang Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) at Philippine Consulate General sa Jeddah na bagaman hindi na bago ang insidente ng mga tumatalon sa gusali, bagaman kakaiba ang sitwasyon ni Lascano.

Kadalasan umano na sa insidente ng pagtalon ng OFW sa gusali, ang biktima ay nakaranas ng pang-aabuso o pagmamaltrato ng kanilang mga amo.Ipinapahiwatig ni OWWA Welfare Officer Romualdo Exmundo na labis na kalungkutan o depresyon ang nasa likod ng pagtalon ni Lascano dahil na rin sa pag-amin nito na wala siyang problema sa kanyang amo.

Katunayan, sinabi ni Exmundo na nakikipagtulungan ang amo ni Lascano sa gobyerno para mapabalik na ito sa Pilipinas.

Pinayuhan din niya si Lascano na ihanda at itabi ang mga kakailanganing dokumento sa posibleng pagkuha niya ng benepisyo pag-uwi sa Pilipinas.“Payo ko sa kanya na itago nya lahat ang medical records nya at pagdating nya sa Pilipinas ay pumunta sa OWWA at titingnan kung ano ang step by step na dapat gawin para ma-evaluate ang kanyang sitwasyon," ayon kay Exmundo. - Ronald Concha, GMANews.TV

July 31, 2009

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/168722/Homesick-Pinay-jumps-off-building-in-Saudi-Arabia

Homesick Pinay jumps off building in Saudi Arabia
RONALDO Z. CONCHA, GMANews.TV
07/31/2009 04:03 PM


JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia - A Filipina domestic helper in Saudi Arabia has been hospitalized after jumping off a building in what an official said could be a case of depression.

Veronica Lascano, 24, jumped from the first floor of the building in Jeddah where she was working at around 6 a.m. last July 3, a welfare officer at the Philippine Consulate General said.She suffered injuries at the back and other parts of her body from the incident.

She is currently confined at the King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah.In an interview, Lascano said her employer was very kind but that she really couldn’t cope with the though of being separated from her family."Hindi ko po alam ang gulu-gulo ng isip ko noon.

Kahit po ako iniisip ko kung bakit ko nagawa ‘yun (I don’t know what I was thinking, my mind was a mess. Even I don’t know why I did that)," she said.“Wala naman akong problema sa amo ko. May mga kasama naman ako pero ‘di ko po alam kung bakit ko nagawa ‘yun, lagi nga po akong umiiyak at laging naiisip ang aking pamilya," she added.(I have no problem with my employer. I also have some companions there, but I was still lonely.

I always cry and think about my family.)Lascano, who came to Saudi Arabia last March 2, is from Malolos, Bulacan where she has a husband and two children.Learning from the incident, Lascano advised other aspiring OFWs to make sure that they can stand the loneliness of work abroad.

Different caseAccording to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, the number of domestic helpers jumping off buildings was nothing new. But they were quick to add that Lascano’s case was different from the other cases that they have handled. In most cases, the workers were maltreated or exploited by their employers.

OWWA Welfare Officer Romualdo Exmundo said Lascano was apparently suffering from loneliness due to separation from her family and difficulty in adjusting to a foreign environment.Exmundo assured Lascano of help from the OWWA.

Lascano’s employer is arranging for her repatriation.One of the benefits being offered by OWWA is for disability but the case still has to undergo assessment to determine whether the disability is permanent or not.

“Payo ko sa kanya na itago nya lahat ang medical records nya at pagdating nya sa Pilipinas ay pumunta sa OWWA at titingnan kung ano ang step by step na dapat gawin para ma-evaluate ang kanyang sitwasyon," said Exmundo.(I advise her to keep all her medical records. When she returns to the Philippines, she should go to OWWA and look into how she can have her situation evaluated.)

On mandatory psych testsThe Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has proposed that household service workers undergo mandatory psychological tests to prevent incidents like that of Lascano from happening.

The DFA said the proposal was triggered by the recent spate of cases of runaway Filipino workers who are said to have been unable to adjust to life in the Middle East. Then DFA spokesperson Claro Cristobal said the test is only aimed at protecting the welfare of OFWs abroad. [See: Psych tests will protect OFWs - DFA official]"The psychological test is aimed at checking whether or not the coping mechanism of Filipino workers is well," he said.

He added that even DFA and embassy officials undergo such tests before they are deployed to other countries. “It is needed simply because it is very stressful overseas," he added. The test, however, received flak from various migrant workers’ groups. [See: More groups nix proposed psych test for migrant Pinoy domestics]Migrante International said such a policy would only castigate Filipino workers as mentally unfit and unstable for work in other countries.Instead of preparing OFWs, the group asserted that employers should be made to undergo psychological tests to determine if they are fit to employ foreign workers.. - with Kimberly Jane T. Tan, GMANews.TV

July 29, 2009

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/168572/RP-school-in-KSA-goes-on-offensive-vs-A(H1N1)

RP school in KSA goes on offensive vs A(H1N1)
RONALDO Z. CONCHA, GMANews.TV07/29/2009 08:38 PM

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia - A Philippine school in Jeddah has opted not to suspend its classes even after one of its students got infected with the A(H1N1) virus.

Instead, the Al Hekma International School cleaned the premises and advised parents not to let their children go to school if they are sick.“Mahirap naman kasi na tuwing may virus ay suspinde agad ang school. (It’s not practical to suspend classes every time a student is infected) Prevention ang kailangan nating gawin ngayon (is what we need to do right now," Al Hekma principal Belma Regis told GMANews.TV.

She said the school will also assemble all its students and check for flu-like symptoms. Al Hekma has more than 1,000 students, 98 percent of them Filipinos.

“Hindi na natin mapipigilan ang pagkalat nito. Ang kailangan ay maiwasan na lamang na mahawa pa ang iba nating mag aaral (We won’t be able to contain the virus anyway so what we need to do is make sure our students don’t get infected)," she said.

With that in mind, the principal said parents should immediately inform them if their children test positive for the virus. A parent, who refused to be named, said many parents do not report to the school even if their children do get infected.This became evident when a female student of Al Hekma tested positive for the mutant virus.

The mother of the student told GMANews.TV that her daughter started showing signs of A(H1N1) after a male student who earlier tested positive for the virus did not inform the school of his condition.

Early this month, the International Philippine School of Jeddah and the Philippine Sunrise International School were temporarily closed down due to the virus. [See: RP school in Riyadh closed due to A(H1N1)]The principals of these schools said that they will resume classes in August.There are 13 Philippine schools in Riyadh, nine in Jeddah, one in Buraidah in the central region and three in the Eastern Province. - with Kimberly Jane T. Tan, GMANews.TV

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

July 29, 2009

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/168569/OAV-mobile-registration-spreads-in-Jeddah-as-deadline-draws-near

OAV mobile registration spreads in Jeddah as deadline draws near
07/29/2009 08:18 PM


JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia - Inspired by the warm response to their outreach overseas absentee voting (OAV) campaign in the city of Yanbu, Philippine officials in western Saudi Arabia have scheduled a series of voter registration in Filipino schools in Jeddah.

The OAV Mobile Team of the Philippine Consulate General said registration will be held at the Al-Hekma International School from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday (July 30).

On August 7, registration will be held at the International Philippine School in Jeddah (IPSJ), followed by another one at the Pearl of the Orient International School (POIS) on August 14.Registration will also continue at the consulate every day from 8:30 a.m.to 4:30 p.m. until August 31, when the OAV registration ends.All that is needed by an applicant to present when registering is a copy of his or her passport or any other documents proving one’s identity.

As the registration deadline neared, Consul General Ezzedin Tago appealed on Filipinos 18 years old and above in the region to sign up so that they can participate in the selection of the Philippines’ next national leaders next year.Saudi Arabia has the biggest number of OFWs worldwide but very few have registered since the OAV list-up started in February because of the far distances between their place of work and centers where the registration are allowed.

The registration centers are the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, the Consulate General in Jeddah, and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Al Khobar.However, the Saudi government allows registration activities to be held in Philippine schools.Elsa Masa, a member of the OAV team, told GMANews.TV that their campaign in Yanbu was held at the Al-Tawhid International School, generating more than 500 registrants in two days. Likewise, 223 new voters were added in Khamis Mushayt.

In a letter sent to the Filipino community, Tago owed the success of this month’s registration to the kind efforts of employers like the International Medical Center (IMC), who not only permitted their migrant workers to come and register but also provided transportation service to them.Tago also noted that civic-minded organizations like the United Filipino Muslims for Peace and Development (UFMPAD) and the “Pinoy sa Jeddah" Internet group have also been instrumental in this regard as they campaigned hard for them to register and vote.

With three more local field registrations scheduled to be held in the Philippine Curriculum schools in Jeddah, the consulate general expects a further increase in the number of registrants in the final stretch of the registration period.The Commission on Elections (Comelec), meanwhile, urged Filipinos in other places in the Middle East to register as overseas voters for the 2010 elections.

More than two million Filipinos live and work in the Middle East but less than 27,000 Filipinos have so far registered in the oil-rich region.The government has set a target of one million OAV registrants out of an estimated eight million Filipinos abroad.

As of July 29, only 154,402 overseas Filipino voters have registered, according to the OAV Secretariat of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).This number has surpassed the combined number of registrants for 2005-2006, which was 142,667. - Ronaldo Concha and Joseph Hollandes Ubalde, GMANews.TV

July 29, 2009

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/168588/OAV-mobile-registration-ikakalat-sa-Jeddah

OAV mobile registration ikakalat sa Jeddah
07/29/2009 10:25 PM

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – Dahil sa magandang resulta ng isinagawang mobile registration para sa overseas absentee voting (OAV) kamakailan sa Yanbu, nagtakda ang mga opisyal konsulado ng Pilipinas sa Saudi Arabia na magsagawa ng serye ng voter registration sa mga Filipino school sa bansang ito.

Inihayag ng OAV Mobile Team ng Philippine Consulate General na isasagawa ang pagpapatala ng mga OFW sa Al-Hekma International School mula 2 p.m. hanggang 8 p.m.

sa Huwebes (July 30).Sa Agosto 7, magkakaroon din ng rehistrasyon sa International Philippine School sa Jeddah (IPSJ), at susundan naman sa Agosto 14 sa Pearl of the Orient International School (POIS).

Patuloy din umano ang pagpaparehistro sa konsulada araw-araw mula 8:30 a.m. hanggang 4:30 p.m. Gagawin hanggang dumating ang deadline sa pagpapatala sa OAV sa katapusan ng Agosto 2009.Pinayuhan ang mga OFW na magpaparehistro na dalhin ang orihinal o kopya ng kanilang pasaporte at dokumento na magpapatunay sa kanyang pagkakakilanlan.

Habang papalapit ang deadline sa pagpaparehistro, nanawagan si Consul General Ezzedin Tago sa mga Filipino na edad 18 pataas na magpatala upang maging bahagi sila ng pagpili ng mga susunod na opisyal ng Pilipinas sa 2010 elections.

Sa ilalim ng OAV, ang mga Pinoy na nasa ibang bansa ay maaaring bumoto sa posisyon ng presidente, bise presidente, senador at partylist representatives.Ang Saudi Arabia ang bansa na may pinakamaraming bilang ng mga OFW sa mundo. Ngunit kakaunti pa lamang ang nagpapatala sa OAV mula nang simulan ito noong Pebrero.

Ang mababang bilang ng mga nagpaparehistro ay isinisisi malayong lugar kung saan isinasagawa ang pagpaparehistro mula sa tinutuluyan at pinapasukang trabaho ng mga OFW.

Nagsisilbing mga registration center ng OAV ang Philippine Embassy sa Riyadh, ang Consulate General sa Jeddah, at Philippine Overseas Labor Office sa Al Khobar.Pinahintulutan naman ng pamahalaan ng Saudi na isagawa ang pagpaparehistro sa mga Philippine school sa nabanggit na bansa.

Noong nakaraang linggo, masayang ibinalita ni Elsa Masa, kasapi ng OAV team, na umabot sa 500 OFWs ang nakapagpatala sa mobile registration Al-Tawhid International School sa Yanbu.Mahigit dalawang milyon ang Filipino ang naninirahan at nagtatrabaho sa Middle East ngunit wala pang 27,000 Pinoy ang nagpapatala sa OAV sa nasabing lugar. - Ronald Concha, GMANews.TV

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

July 28, 2009

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/168470/PRC-sets-special-licensure-exams-for-OFWs-in-Mideast

PRC sets special licensure exams for OFWs in Mideast
07/28/2009 09:00 PM

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – The Philippine Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) will be visiting major cities in the Middle East to conduct special licensure examinations for Filipino architects, accountants, civil, electrical, electronic and mechanical engineers.

A letter by the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah to Filipino community groups said the project is in compliance with a directive President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo issued during her state visit in the Gulf states recently.

The examination will be administered in Al-Khobar and Jeddah on November 26, 27 and 28, 2009 and in Doha, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on December 2, 3 and 4, 2009.

Qualified applicants must submit the following documentary requirements:

General documentary requirements (for first time applicants and repeaters for architects, CPAs, civil, electrical, electronic and mechanical engineers):

1. Original & Photocopy of Transcript of Records (TOR) with scanned picture and remarks “For Board Examination only"
2. Original & Photocopy of Certificate of Live Birth issued by the National Statistic Office (NSO) in security paper.
3. Four (4) pieces of passport-size pictures with complete nametag
4. Photocopy of Philippine passport

Additional documentary requirements for architects:

1. College diploma (for first time applicants)
2. NBI Clearance
3. PTR IAPOA Number of Mentor
4. Two years of diversified experience after graduation
5. Logbook of Diversified Experience (can be secured from U.A.P)
6. Affidavit of Experience signed by a registered architect with updated PRC professional ID

Additional documentary requirements for CPA

1. NBI clearance
2. Certificate of refresher course (for those who failed twice)
3. Must be Bachelor of Science in Accountancy graduate (for first time applicants)
4. BSC/BSBA graduates who are repeaters can apply for the examination.

BSC/BSBA graduates who are first timers will not be allowed to apply General Documentary requirements for Certified Plant Mechanic (for first time applicants)

1. Vocational or Trade School Transcript of Records.
2. Certification of Employment or Service Record of at least one year of work experience.
3. Certificate of Experience of one year or more in PRC Form No. 104 and to be signed by a registered Mechanical Engineer or professional mechanical engineer and duly notarized / under oath.
4. Certification of Detailed Description of Equipment in PRC Form No. 105.20. 1-A and to be signed by the company general manager or personnel manager and the immediate supervisor.
5. Affidavit of Competency which should be under oath.

General Documentary requirements for Registered Master Electrician (for first time applicants)

1) Transcript of Record of BSEE with scanned picture and remarks for “Board Exam Purpose"
2) Certification of Employment or Service Record of at least one year of work experience.
3) Certificate of Experience of one year or more in PRC Form No. 104 and to be signed by a registered Electrical Engineer or professional electrical engineer and duly notarized / under oath.
4) Transcript of Records of the Electrical Engineering Technology course.
5) Certification of Employment or Service Record of at least three years of work experience.
6) Certificate of Experience of three years or more in PRC Form No. 104 and to be signed by a registered Electrical Engineer or professional electrical engineer and duly notarized / under oath.
7) High School diplomas or transcript of records.
8) Certification of Employment or Service Record of at least five years of work experience.
9) Certificate of Experience of five years or more in PRC Form No. 104 and to be signed by a registered Electrical Engineer or professional electrical engineer and duly notarized / under oath.

Qualified applicants are advised to contact their respective professional organizations (UAP/MBAP/IOFA- Architects, PICPA, PICE, IIEE, IECEP, PSME) in Al-Khobar, Jeddah, Riyadh, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Applications must be submitted to the professional organizations on or before September 30, 2009 for transmittal to PRC- Manila on or before October 9, 2009.

Applicants whose documents are in the Philippines may present them to the Application & Qualification Evaluation Division for evaluation on or before September 15, 2009. Application forms can be downloaded at www.prc.gov.ph.Jeddah applications can also be submitted to the Philippine Consulate General.

The venue will be announced later by the responsible community group that will be authorized by the commission to handle formalities and preparations needed, in coordination with the Consulate General. - Ronaldo Z. Concha, GMANews.TV

Friday, July 24, 2009

July 24, 2009

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/168163/OFWs-sa-Saudi-nangangambang-hindi-makaboto-sa-2010-polls

OFWs sa Saudi nangangambang hindi makaboto sa 2010 polls
07/24/2009 06:49 PM

YANBU, Saudi Arabia – Patuloy na nakararamdan ng alinlangan ang ilang overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) sa bansang ito kung magagamit nila ang kanilang karapatan na bumoto sa 2010 elections sa pamamagitan ng Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV).

Nakatakdang magtapos sa Agosto 30 ang pagpaparehistro sa OAV ng mga kuwalipikadong Pinoy na nasa labas ng Pilipinas upang makaboto sa posisyon ng presidente, bise presidente, senador at party-list representatives.Gayunman, pinaigting ng mga kinatawan ng embahada at konsulada ng Pilipinas sa Saudi ang kampanya para maparehistro ang mga bagong botante.

Sa Saudi Arabia, lingo-lingo nang dumarayo ang ilan sa mga tauhan ng embahada sa kanilang mga nasasakupan upang magproseso ng mga bagong botante. Naging matagumpay naman ang pagsisikap ng embahada dahil maraming bagong botante ang nagpatala sa Altawhid International School sa Yanbu.

Sinabi ni Elsa Masa, miyembro ng OAV Mobile team, mahigit 500 OFWs ang dumating at nagpatala sa loob lamang ng dalawang araw.Katuwang ng mga opisyal ng embahada ang mga Filipino Community group sa Saudi sa pangunguna ni Rey Vicencio at Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Association ng Western Region Yanbu.

Kasama rin sa mga nag-oorganisa ng pagpaparehistro sina Larry Cabagon at Nelly Manayao na nag-aasikaso sa mga OFW tulad ng paghahatid at pagsundo sa mga walang sasakyan, nagbibigay ng inumin at pagtulong sa pagpapapirma ng mga registration form.

Ang Yanbu ay isang industriyalisadong lungsod sa kanlurang bahagi ng Saudi Arabia at may layong 340 kilometro mula sa Jeddah kung saan matatagpuan konsulado ng Pilipinas na pagdarausan ng botohan.

Dahil sa layo ng lugar, hindi maiwasan ng ilang OFW na nagparehistro na magtanong kung makakaboto sila sa takdang panahon dahil na rin sa layo ng lugar na pagbobotohan nila.

Si Rico Fuerte, tubong Iloilo, nangangamba na baka masayang lang ang kanyang paghihirap sa malayong pagbiyahe upang magparehistro kung hindi naman sila makakaboto.“Gusto naming bumoto kaya kami nagpaparehistro (kala lang) baka masayang lang itong pagpila (sa pagpaparehistro)," pahayag ni Fuerte dahil sa distansiya ng pagdarausan ng botohan.Pakiusap ng OFW, gumawa ng paraan ang embahada upang matiyak na lahat ng nagpatala sa OAV ay makakaboto saan man lugar sila nandoon.

Iminungkahi naman ni Emily Orsales na magpadala ng kinatawan ang Commission ong Election sa Yanbu para marami ang makaboto sa halip na papuntahin sila sa Jeddah.Ang mungakhi Orsales ay sinuportahan ni Marietta Llarena na nagpahayag na nagawa ng embahada na magtungo sa kanilang lugar para sila makapagparehistro, kaya puwede rin silang bumalik sa Yanbu para matiyak na makaboboto sila. - Ronaldo Z. Concha, GMANews.TV