From Strife-Hit Bahrain Negrense OFW seeks help for return home

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines - A Negrense working as a photographer in Bahrain is raring to go home in the wake of violence there after the Kingdom's besieged monarch declared martial law and ordered troops, including Saudi forces, to take all measures to quell a festering rebellion.

Karen Arevalo, 28 of Barangay Ma-ao, Bago City was contacted by her mother, Desiree, Wednesday afternoon through the Help Desk of the Public Affairs Division (PAD) of the provincial government.

PAD head Anna Marie Lucasan said the help desk is offered for free to the families of OFWs who want to reach their relatives working in crises-hit countries like Libya, New Zealand, Japan and Bahrain.

Lucasan said Arevalo is so far the only OFW in Bahrain who was contacted through the help desk of PAD, while there were 14 OFWs in Libya who were contacted. No Negrense came to PAD yet to contact their relatives in Japan and New Zealand.

She said Arevalo is with five other OFWs, three of whom are nurses, who were transferred from Marama to Salamiya in Bahrain.

Arevalo was advised by her employer to stay put, as her employer is among the protesters, her mother said yesterday. Her mother added that Arevalo really wanted to go home because the situation in their area is becoming dangerous, but her travel documents are still being withheld by her employer.