POEA urged to confirm 5,500 vacancies

RIYADH: A group of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) has called on the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to confirm a report that 5,500 jobs are available for distressed OFWs in Saudi Arabia.
John Leonard Monterona, United Overseas Filipinos Worldwide (U-OFW) convener, said that Emmanuel Geslani, recruitment consultant, announced that Philippine recruitment agencies were able to secure the 5,500 jobs.
Monterona was citing a report of the Sun Star newspaper which quoted Geslani, and he has urged POEA Chief Hans Cacdac to validate the report.
“Upon reading the report, many of the laid-off and distressed OFWs, totaling 5,000, asked me to verify the report and get the job details. They also conveyed their willingness to apply for a job,” he said, adding: “We don’t want this to be a case of counting the chicken before they’re hatched.”
Monterona added that his concern is the implication of Geslani’s announcement on the efforts of the Philippine government to repatriate the laid-off and distressed OFWs who are still in the Kingdom.
“Many of them, who have requested for government assistance, may not push for their repatriation to the Philippines upon hearing of the availability of 5,500 jobs for distressed OFWs,” he said.
The Saudi-based OFW leader said the reported jobs available to OFWs should be validated first by no other than the POEA.
He added that if the information is correct, the POEA, in coordination with the Philippine Embassy and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Riyadh and Jeddah, should immediately come up with an assistance mechanism for the re-hiring of the remaining laid-off and distressed OFWs.