PH Thanks Saudi Arabia for Extending Amnesty Program
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano thanks Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir for the extension of the amnesty program that would benefit hundreds more undocumented Filipinos stranded in the Kingdom.
24 September 2017 - The Philippines today expressed its appreciation to Saudi Arabia for extending an amnesty program that Manila says will allow hundreds more of undocumented Filipinos in the kingdom to go home.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano personally conveyed Manila's appreciation to Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir on the sides of the 72nd United Nations General Assembly in New York on Saturday.
"The Philippine Government would like to thank you very much for the extension of your amnesty program," Secretary Cayetano told Minister Al-Jubeir after the latter delivered his country's statement before the General Assembly.
Secretary Cayetano said the extension of the amnesty program Is expected to benefit more than 6,000 undocumented Filipinos who were not able to avail themselves of the initial amnesty offer.
A total of 8,467 undocumented Filipinos availed themselves of the initial amnesty offer and were repatriated in various batches by the Department of Foriegn Affairs.
"We really appreciate this gesture of the Saudi government that would allow us to bring home many more of our kababayans who are still stranded there," Secretary Cayetano said.
According to Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola, the extension was in response to the request of the Philippines and several other countries for an extension of the amnesty program that began on 29 March.
"This is the extension to the initial 90-day amnesty given in March that was extended for 30 days and now extended for the second time," Undersecretary Arriola said. END