18 May 2015 - The composite team of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh and the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah met with officials of Najran Armed Forces Hospital on May 14 to ensure the safety and security of Filipinos working in the hospital, which is among the biggest employers of Filipinos in the city.

Minister and Consul General Marshall Louis Alferez of the Philippine Embassy, and Vice Consul Rodney Jonas Sumague, Labor Attaché Jainal Rasul, Jr. and Welfare Officer Amelito Adel of the Philippine Consulate General met with Assistant Human Resource Director Mr. Saad Al Zaharani and Human Resource Specialist Mr. Ayman Al Zaharani.

During the meeting Mr. Saad Al Zahrani gave assurances that they are looking after the welfare of their Filipinos workers in the midst of the situation in Najran and that they have specific plans in place, including possible relocation sites in other cities should the situation deteriorate.

They also informed Philippine officials of the options they have in place for their Filipino employees who wish to either continue working or be allowed to leave for the Philippines.

Aside from the Najran Armed Force Hospital, Philippine officials continue to contact other employers of Filipino workers to get assurances on their safety and specific details about their contingency plans. The composite team is set to visit small and medium-sized establishments with Filipino workers in the coming days to talk to their employers.

For advice and updates on developments in Najran, Filipinos are requested to contact the following hotline of the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah: 053 424 0362. END