10 August 2004 – The Philippine Embassy in Doha, Qatar (Doha PE) continues its commitment to assist distressed Filipino nationals in the gulf state, particularly those who are unemployed or are facing deportation due to involvement in civil, immigration or criminal cases.  Among these projects is the establishment and strengthening of Doha PE’s Welfare Assistance (WAF).  To this end, Doha PE has set up links with Habib Qatar International Exchange Co., an exchange and remittance company, to shore up funds for the WAF.  Habib Qatar has agreed to donate 20% of the proceeds of its project "Padala Ko, Tulong Ko" to the Embassy's WAF and the remaining 80% to the Bantay Bata 163 Program ABS-CBN Channel 2.

The project, which will run from 01 August to 31 December 2004, will involve the allocation of 1 Qatari Riyal from Habib's remittance profits for every remittance made by a Filipino worker through door-to-door or bank transactions.  The amount generated will be divided between Doha PE’s WAF and Bantay Bata 163 according to the agreed formula.  Considering the volume of transactions being handled by Habib Qatar and the number of Filipino workers regularly sending remittances to their families, it is expected that the project will significantly boost efforts to alleviate the conditions of Filipino workers, under varying conditions of abuse and exploitation by their employers, who seek refuge at the Embassy.

The tie up with Habib Qatar is the latest in a series of efforts by Doha PE to strengthen the WAF. In the past, the Embassy has been exerting efforts to generate funds establish the WAF with the help of Filipino community organizations through activities such as the Kantahan sa Doha, an amateur singing contest for OFWs, and the Ballroom Dancing Program.

OFWs who encounter labor, immigration and criminal problems in Qatar often turn to the Embassy for temporary shelter and financial assistance.  These workers include Filipina domestics who have ran away from their employers due to maltreatment, mistreatment or sexual harassment and who cannot leave the country yet because of the employer's delay in the issuance of exit permits and repatriation tickets, as well as payment of salaries.  Most of these workers seek the financial assistance of the Embassy which, under pertinent laws, is allowed to provide legal assistance funds only to those involved in labor and criminal cases and upon prior authorization by the DFA.  It is not, therefore, mandated nor does it have the means to provide funds for the daily needs of distressed workers.  Male Filipino workers also face certain difficulties since only distressed female workers can be accommodated at the embassy’s temporary shelter facility.

The Embassy is therefore calling on Filipino workers who send remittances to the Philippines to consider using Habib Qatar as their remittance facility to help strengthen the WAF as well as promote Bantay Bata 163 program, which seeks to provide medical treatment/assistance to children of indigent families in the Philippines who suffer from serious medical conditions.  END.