Alert News No. 003-03
20 March 2003
Filipino
Domestic Helpers Cross Saudi-Kuwait Border with their Kuwaiti Employers
Philippine Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Bahnarim Guinomla
informed Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople that the Philippine embassy
met and assisted Belen Biliote, a domestic helper who was the first Filipino
who crossed the Saudi-Kuwait border.
Biliote is now staying at the Al Khafji Beach Hotel where the embassy
team had set up its emergency assistance center. She would like to return
to Kuwait with her sponsor, a wealthy Kuwaiti by the name of Mr. Abduleh,
once the war has ended.
Col. Mohammad Usman Assaf, Director of the Immigration and Passport Office
of Saudi Arabia, informed Ambassador Guinomla that a few other Filipino domestic
helpers have also crossed the border together with their Kuwaiti sponsors.
Al Khafji is just 10 kilometers to the Saudi-Kuwaiti border. Ms. Biliote
hails from Calamba, Laguna.
Ambassador Guinomla assured the public that an embassy team would be on
hand to assist Filipino workers crossing the border from Kuwait.
Food, medicines and water are available to OFWs who prefer to move from
Kuwait to Saudi Arabia for the duration of the war.