Philippines, Saudis to negotiate over stranded workersThe Philippines said Saturday it would within days send government missions to Saudi Arabia to help thousands of jobless Filipinos left stranded across the kingdom after the plunge in oil prices. About 10 million Filipinos work abroad due to low wages or lack of jobs in their own country of about 100 million people. Asian activists and officials have said thousands of Indians and Pakistanis are also stranded in Saudi Arabia following the layoffs. The first batch of officials would fly to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday ”to provide immediate humanitarian, legal, and other consular assistance to the overseas Filipino workers stranded in work camps across Saudi Arabia,” a foreign department statement said. The Philippine government estimates about 9,000 Filipino workers were affected, though the Manila-based labor rights group Migrante said as many as 20,000 could be in distress.

Source: Manila Bulletin August 06, 2016 05:15 UTC