Government to open mobile POLO in Al Khobar

MANILA, Philippines — To address the needs of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Saudi Arabia, the government will launch this week the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) on wheels program in Al Khobar.

Labor attaché Hector Cruz Jr. reported on Friday that the Saudi government allowed the operation of POLO on wheels to provide the consular and documentary needs of OFWs.

Cruz said the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs also authorized the POLO to maintain a hotel-like shelter on the outskirts of the city to house distressed OFWs and those awaiting repatriation.

The Department of Labor and Employment has POLO offices in Riyadh and Jeddah.

“We have been allowed by the ministry to have our POLO on wheels in Al Khobar and accept public services three times a week,” Cruz said.

“This is good news for OFWs. Instead of traveling for about 430 kilometers to the POLO in Riyadh, we can attend to their needs anywhere in the eastern region,” he added.

Aside from the POLO on wheels, Cruz said they have been allowed by the Arab government to operate a shelter for OFWs waiting for their flight back home.

There are about 230,000 Filipinos in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia, with around 215,000 documented OFWs, their dependents and some permanent migrants.