Philippine embassy declined help to Nemencio Valencia
Middle East - Nemencio Valencia, 68, from Lipa City, Batangas is undocumented and ailing overseas Filipino worker (OFW) wishes to be home. He is being willfully assisted by the Filipino migrant rights group Migrante-Middle East (M-ME). "He managed to survive with his friends and fellow OFWs’ contributions for his food and medicines,” said M-ME regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona. The rights group urges the Philippine embassy in Riyadh to help Mr. Valencia since his health condition is deteriorating.
Leon Catameo, a concerned fellow OFW initially reported the deplorable situation of OFW Nemencio Valencia to M-ME officers.
Mr. Valencia stopped working for years. He worked as a taxi driver 10 years ago but was forced to stop because being undocumented, he feared being apprehended by local police.
According to Monterona, who is now based in Doha, Qatar, Nemencio Valencia sought assistance from the Philippine embassy for his repatriation but he was told to raise 8,000 Saudi rials (roughly 90,000 pesos) as a penalty for overstaying.
Monterona asked the Philippine embassy in Riyadh why it failed to provide him the needed assistance. “For one, the Philippine embassy could endorse to OWWA or its main office in Manila requesting a budget for OFW Valencia’s repatriation. Or it could ask the Filipino community to donate so that it could raise the needed amount to pay for his penalty.”
“OFW Valencia’s status, of being undocumented, should not be cited as reason why the Philippine embassy did not extend help and it continuously failed to provide assistance to him,” Monterona said.
The OFW leader called on the Aquino administration through Vice President Jejomar Binay, also presidential adviser of OFWs concerns, to order the DFA and its post in Riyadh to immediately attend to Valencia and work for his immediate repatriation.
‘I don’t think if the Saudi immigration authorities would object for OFW Valencia’s repatriation considering his deteriorating health condition. It’s just a matter of giving priority and properly attending his case so that he could be repatriated and join his loved ones in Batangas,” Monterona ended.
Source: interaksyon.com
Comments:
After Alfredo Salmos was successfully sent home, another case surfaced with some considerable details of negligence from the Philippine embassy in Riyadh. It's okay if our government would tell me that I am making early judgment but the way the claims are being presented it shows that the embassy lack dedication in helping our countrymen who risked to work abroad because we don't have jobs to offer them in our own soil.
There maybe hundreds or thousands of cases like this that may soon be discovered or I would say majority of those people might have decided not to show up in the Philippine embassy because our officials are making money out of their critical situation. Is the Philippine embassy not ashame of what they are doing? On behalf of the Filipino society, I can say that this unwillingness to help of our Philippine embassy is a result of rampant corruption in our government which gets worse as time passes by.
To those officials, don't wait for the the netizens to scatter this blog all over the web and into social networking sites before you make any actions. Act now! Help Nemencio Valencia.
Philippine embassy officials in Riyadh, even if you help this man don't you dare to claim that you made something big. In the first place, someone is pressing you now before you can even start your first move.
Send Nemencio Valencia home-ASAP!
Update #1:
Courtesy of Facebook user Leon Catameo's post
For more information, please contact:
Nanay Flor - +966502040812
Nanay Sita - +966509215013
The names mentioned above are currently the ones taking care of Nemencio (Devencio) Valencia.
Update #2:
Leon Catameo and I made a short communication, and he is advising me to update this article. I misquoted previously and stated that Leon Catameo is based in Doha, Qatar. John Leonard Monterona is the one based in Qatar.
Leon noted that he and Nemencio Valencia just met a month ago and he is still not fully aware of everything that happened to Mr. Valencia. Per note, Mr. Valencia had a nightmare experience from his original employer, that's why he decided to become a taxi driver. However, Mr. Valencia didn't make it well because of having fear of being caught by local authorities. Since he is undocumented he was suppose to be fined with 30,000SR but upon further negotiation between the Philippine embassy and consulate of KSA, the penalty was lowered down to 8,000SR which is roughly Php88,000. Mr. Catameo attempted to bring Nemencio to the deportation section but he was not accepted and he was also rejected by hospitals.
Leon Catameo is also open to email communication. You can reach him at kingleon.ksa@hotmail.com.
Update #3:
Leon Catameo has announced the good news about Nemencio Valencia's status in KSA through his facebook note.
Nemencio Valencia is coming home. Leon Catameo has drawn the attention of netizens when he published an article about the deteriorating health status of Mr. Valencia roughly a week ago. According to his update, Mr. Valencia is just awaiting for the flight schedule and someone will also accompany him to Lipa, Batangas.
The fine of Mr. Valencia was shouldered by the Philippine embassy. I won't thank our embassy because they waited this long before they decided to make the payment on behalf of Mr. Valencia who doesn't have a job and has health issues. I hope that our embassies across the globe will have the heart to help our countrymen especially the ones who are like Mr. Valencia and Mr. Salmos.
Thank you so much Leon Catameo for making small efforts which made EXTRAORDINARY results. More power to you KABAYAN!
Leon Catameo's Photo
DiversityHuman.com decided to include the photo of Leon Catameo as a simple way of saying "THANK YOU" and our appreciation for his kindness and will to help others. Leon Catameo said that he doesn't really like publicity or whatsoever but DiversityHuman.com insisted to include his picture in this article just like what we usually do when we acknowledge ORDINARY PEOPLE who made EXTRAORDINARY THINGS, e.g. Jennifer Doroga, Sotero Canonoy, Maximo Aton.
So, sir Leon Catameo. Thank you so much for allowing us to grab one of your photos in Facebook. We know you really don't like this but we shall do it in order for other people to mirror what you did in KSA. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Update #4: June 03, 2012 - Leon Catameo announces Nemencio Valencia's flight to the Philippines. He will be joining the rest of his family in Lipa, Batangas. An inspiring campaign of Leon Catameo ends here but DiversityHuman.com is hoping that there will be more people like Leon who dedicates time to help other fellas.