ConGen Tago Responds

A few days ago, Migrante KSA filed an appeal in behalf of various distressed women and requested for a dialogue with the Consulate. After two langourous weeks and numerous appeals, newly installed Consul General Ezzedin Tago relented and met with your Migrante Saudi Coordinator and Migrante Jeddah Chairperson Bob Fajarito on Thursday, 17 January 2008.

In an email addressed to Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM) Women's Coordinator Esther C. Bangcawayan, ConGen Tago described the results in his own words:

... I wish to inform you that I have met with Mr. Andrew Ociones of
Migrante KSA yesterday at my office. We discussed the status of the cases
mentioned in his email, in particular the cases of 5 OFWs also mentioned in your
email.

Please allow me to reiterate the status of the cases of :

1. Ms. Laura Aya Torres: She was visited at the Deportation by the staff of the Consulate. She has been transferred to another area within deportation which means that she is being prepared for deportation soon. The Consulate staff will follow up the matter so she could leave for the Philippines as soon as possible.
2. Ms. Noralyn Mamasalagat: I have discussed her case with
   both the Labor Attache and Welfare Officer. As the recruitment agency in Manila has been delisted, the POLO Jeddah will request OWWA to provide her a ticket so she could leave the kingdom before the expiration of her exit visa on 23 January.
3. Ms. Marilou Salazar: The Consulate staff accompanied her twice to Aquiq to identify the residence of her employer to determine the police station which has jurisdiction over her case/complaint. Despite due diligence, we were not able to identify her employer’s address. The hospital will not take necessary action on her examination unless there is a referral from the Police which will not accept her complaint unless filed at the station with jurisdiction over the case. She has stressed her desire to return to the
   Philippines as soon as possible, which she also conveyed to Mr. Andrew Ociones yesterday.
4. The cases of Ms. Dukay and Aiko have been referred to the Labor Attache,
   and I shall provide you a status of their cases as soon as I receive the same
   from him.

Further updates to follow.

Very truly yours,
Ezzedin Tago
Consul General

So there!

Any dialogue is never enough though. Since ConGen Tago is still new in the office, Migrante KSA opts to wait for the promised results, while remaining vigilant.

More on Migrante KSA's visit to the Consulate in Jeddah next time.