VP Binay: 25 OFWs in Qatar jails to be freed

At least 25 Filipinos detained in Qatar will regain their freedom after they have been granted amnesty, Vice President Jejomar Binay said Saturday. Binay said the release of the 25, who are in Qatari jails for various offenses, followed a series of bilateral discussions with top Qatar officials. "We are grateful to the government of Qatar for extending amnesty to our kababayans. This underscores the strong ties between the two countries which will be even stronger in the coming years," he said in a news release. He said he has already instructed the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to expedite the repatriation of the workers. "As soon as their plane tickets are available, they can come home," he said. On the other hand, he said the Qatar government has assured him that the Philippines will be one of their primary sources for manpower. He said Qatar expects a construction boom in the country in 2012 in connection with Qatar’s preparations for hosting the 2020 World Cup. "Qatar looks forward to hiring more Filipinos in the next few years, and is set to hold discussions to facilitate their deployment," he said. Binay said Qatar is expected to send a representative to the Philippines this month as a member of the technical working committee that will be formed to set the requirements for the recruitment and deployment of the workers. Meanwhile, Binay is to start his visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He is to meet with officials of the Philippine Embassy, dialog with the different Filipino organizations, and visit OFWs who have sought shelter in the Bahay Kalinga run by the Philippine Labor Office and OWWA. Binay will also discuss labor issues with officials of the Saudi government. — LBG, GMA News