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DFA, FILIPINOS IN JEDDAH BRING HOME PARALYZED OFW

OFW Novelita Perez poses with Consulate representative Hazel Manahan-Mendoza and Dr. Grace Gonzales of the Jeddah National Hospital before departing for Manila. Perez suffered a stroke before she was able to obtain her exit visa but was assisted by the Consulate and the Filipino Community in Jeddah in her recovery and repatriation.


05 March 2014 - After suffering a stroke which left her paralyzed and with hospitals bills of almost 2.4 million pesos (US$ 58,000), overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Novelita Perez was finally reunited with her family on March 2, thanks to the efforts of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Filipino community in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Perez, a 45-year old native of Caloocan City, was in the process of obtaining her final exit visa during the grace period set by the Kingdom for illegal workers last year when tragedy struck the runaway household helper. She was brought to the Jeddah National Hospital (JNH) where she was cared for by the mostly Filipino staff.

The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, with assistance from JNH doctors Grace Gonzales and Alex Tan, successfully negotiated for a substantial reduction in her hospital bill. The Consulate and the Filipino community also helped in securing the final exit visa of the OFW.

Lucid and responding with eager nods amid tears, Ms. Perez expressed appreciation to the hospital and its staff and the DFA.

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PHL EMBASSY CONSULAR OUTREACH IN AL-KHOBAR PROCESSES  568 ELECTRONIC PASSPORTS

24 February 2014 – The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh successfully conducted its second “Embassy on Wheels” (EOW) for the month of February in Al-Khobar.

Held from February 21 to 22  at the Al Jazeera International School in Dammam, the EOW was able to process a total of 568 electronic passports to Filipinos based in the area.

Vice Consul Winston Dean Almeda, who headed the Embassy team, expressed appreciation to the community volunteers who assisted during the consular outreach.

The Embassy team, assisted by Filipino community volunteers in the Eastern Region, was also able to process 76 notarial applications, 49 passport extensions, 10 Reports of Birth, seven applications for replacement of lost e-Passport and one authentication certification.

The Filipinos who were able to avail themselves of consular services also accomplished 309 Client Feedback forms, out of 600 forms distributed. The client feedback mechanism is part of the Embassy’s program to improve customer service. 

The following were the results of the survey:

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“KAKAIBANG JEDDAH!” PHOTO EXHIBIT OPENS  AT JEDDAH ART WEEK 2014

Philippine Consul General Uriel Norman Garibay (standing, center) with some of the 23 Jeddah-based Filipino photographers during the soft opening of the Jeddah Art Week 2014 held at the Al Furusiya Exhibition Hall, Jeddah Park Hyatt Hotel on 31 January 2014. Also in the photo is Madame Omega A. Garibay (standing, 7^th from right)

24 February 2014 - The weeklong Jeddah Art Week opened on January 31 at the Al Furusiya Exhibition Hall, Jeddah Park Hyatt Hotel.

Philippine Consul General Uriel Norman R. Garibay, together with the Saudi Labor Minister Adel Fakeih, Ministry of Culture and Information  representative Saud Kateb and Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives (ALJCI) Chairman Mohammed Jameel gathered to open the exhibit.  They then viewed the various art works being offered.

Labor Minister Adel Fakeih praised the organizers for showcasing a diverse range of artwork, particularly, the exhibition by Filipino photographers. Minister Fakeih was pleasantly surprised with the various artworks that were presented by the Filipino workers.  He pointed out that the Saudi government would like to encourage guest workers in the Kingdom to share their experiences while living in Saudi cities and interacting culturally with Saudi society.  He said that the Ministry of Labor is going to further encourage various expatriate communities to participate in future Saudi Arabia’s cultural activities. 

On February 02, KAKAIBANG JEDDAH! Photo exhibit opened in JAW 2014.  Consul General Garibay welcomed guests that included the Consuls General of Sri Lanka, Singapore, Korea, Indonesia, Germany and Japan.  Members of the Filipino community in Jeddah and Consulate staff also attended the event.

 “KAKAIBANG JEDDAH” brought together for the first time the photographic works of 23 Filipino photographers that celebrates Jeddah as a subject of photographic art and explores its lesser-known aspects that are popular to and enjoyed by Filipino workers. Forty-eight works in display are printed on aluminum and feature the old streets and buildings of Jeddah like those in Balad, as well as scenes at Jeddah’s Corniche.

Consul General Garibay described said the exhibit as a recognition of the talent of Filipinos.  He expressed that there would be more exhibitions in future in other areas of expat interest. He praised the works of the Filipino participants as magnificent as they provide a different subject perspective for photography and the arts.

JAW’s 2014 events ran until February 06 at the Al Furusiya Exhibition Hall.

Jeddah Art Week started in 2013 with the object of providing an opportunity for artists to be together and to share their experiences; to encourage the public to appreciate Jeddah’s “public space” more creatively; and to showcase Jeddah’s creative art and design culture while increasing the City’s engagement with the international art community.  It is under the patronage of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture and Information and Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives (ALJCI). 

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SPOUSES OF AMBASSADORS IN UAE HOLD FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR YOLANDA VICTIMS

24 February 2014 _ The Diplomatic Group for Spouses of Ambassadors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), headed by Mrs. Gül Tanghe Güllüova, Spouse of the Belgian Ambassador in UAE, held a fundraising charity event on February 06 at Park Rotana Hotel Ballroom for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

(Left photo) Ambassador  Grace Relucio Princesa joins Ms. Evangeline Junio, owner of Bread Connection, one of the vendors during the fundraising  activity. (Right) People flocked in the Ballroom of Park Rotana Hotel to buy various goods and items during the event.

The event featured select vendors who sold handicrafts, plants and flowers, elegant linens and textiles, among others. The spouses of Ambassadors also had a bake sale in one area of the ballroom. The entrance fee was Dhs 50 (approximately Php 600) which entitled guests to free coffee or tea and pastry.

Ambassador Grace Relucio Princesa thanks the diplomatic spouses in the UAE headed by Mrs. Gül Tanghe Güllüova (Left) for spearheading the fundraising activity.

During the event, Philippine Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Grace Relucio Princesa delivered a speech in which she thanked the diplomatic spouses and all who came for the event for the continued assistance to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda. Tourism materials carrying the “It’s more fun in the Philippines” marketing campaign were also distributed to guests and similar posters were displayed in the entrance and various parts of the ballroom