Sunday, December 11, 2011
Saudi labor ministry: 'Saudization' policy a failure
Saudi Arabia’s “Saudization" policy, which seeks to prioritize the hiring of Saudi nationals over expatriates, has so far been a failure, according to the country’s ministry of labor.
In an article on Dubai-based news site Emirates 24/7, Saudi Arabia’s labor ministry said 50 percent of private companies were still not complying with the plan, despite the Saudi government’s warnings that they could be denied new work visas.
Private sector companies in Saudi Arabia currently employ over six million migrant workers, according to the Saudi Arabia labor ministry. Meanwhile, over one million Saudis remain jobless.
In July this year, the oil-rich Saudi Arabia was home to over eight million expatriates, of which 1.2 million were overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Also in the same month, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) downplayed concerns that the Saudization policy would have an immediate impact on OFWs, saying that the policy would be implemented in a “gradual and calibrated" manner.
'Nitaqat' system
The Saudization initiative or the 'Nitaqat' system was launched on June 11, 2011, after previous efforts of the Saudi Arabian government to force private companies to hire more locals failed.
The Emirates 24/7 article noted that analysts have described the Nitaqat as the “most radical measure" done by Saudi Arabia’s government to make private companies hire locals, as unemployment in Saudi Arabia continues to increase.
According Saudi labor minister Adel Faqih, the country's official unemployment rate was pegged at 10.5 percent at the end of 2010. Also, he said that about 90 percent of Saudi Arabia's private sector was populated by foreigners.
The system puts Saudi Arabia’s private companies into four categories: excellent and green for complying companies and yellow and red for non-complying companies.
Companies are required to employ a certain number of Saudi locals based on company size and the occupation of the company’s workers.
Red-coded companies had until September 11 to comply with Saudization requirements while yellow-coded ones have until December 11 to comply.
Should the yellow-coded companies fail to comply with the government’s requirements, they will not be allowed to renew the work visas of foreign workers beyond six years. Red zoned companies who do not meet the government’s requirements, meanwhile, will be unable to renew the work visas of foreign workers. — Bea Cupin /LBG, GMA News
http://bit.ly/u20i0f
Friday, December 02, 2011
Outstanding overseas Filipino workers get Bagong Bayani awards
By Norman Bordadora
Philippine Daily Inquirer 3:11 am | Friday, December 2nd, 2011
An educator, who helped bring to Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries the professional board examinations for mechanical engineers, received the highest award for an overseas Filipino worker at ceremonies Thursday in Malacañang.
President Benigno Aquino III led the awarding rites for the country’s outstanding overseas Filipino workers. Among the awardees were seafarers who kept their vessels afloat during Japan’s 9-magnitude earthquake and tsunami of March 11, and caregivers who showed “heroism and loyalty” in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
The Bagong Bayani Foundation Inc. conferred the “Blas F. Ople Award para sa Natatanging Bayani” on Eduardo Parra Malagapo for “his outstanding achievement in the field of education and his tireless involvement in various socio-civic activities and humanitarian services for fellow Filipinos abroad.”
“(Malagapo) was instrumental in bringing to Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries the professional board examinations for mechanical engineers, which has considerably contributed to the professional growth of our mechanical engineers in that part of the world,” said BBFI vice president Rene Cristobal, the master of ceremonies.
Cited as outstanding employees were the Filipino crew members of MT Diamond Champ and MT Nichichiko for “risking their lives keeping their ships afloat during the destructive earthquake and tsunami that” hit Sendai City in northeast Japan.
“Faced with imminent danger, their heroism and competence as seafarers saved precious lives and properties and averted potential environmental disaster that would result from oil spills,” Cristobal said.
Also cited were the Filipino seafarers on MV South Islander for their rescue of 27 crew members of Daichi Shoei Maru No. 1, a fishing boat, which caught fire in the Pacific Ocean in April.
Caregivers
Among those awarded the Bagong Bayani Award for community and social service were caregivers Mercedes Joie Aquino, Sandra Otacan, Gemma Juanay and Juliet Copatan.
“Despite the danger and risk of exposure to nuclear radiation during the earthquake and tsunami calamity that rocked Fukushima in March this year, (they) elected to remain in their jobs and continued to provide care and companionship to their Japanese elderly patients,” Cristobal said.
Captain Autonomo Amano of Hoegh Fleet Services was awarded the Gregorio Oca Achievement Award, which is given to seafarers “who best symbolize any of the achievement of contribution of the late Captain Oca to the maritime industry.”
“Captain Amano stands out as the most deserving among the seafarer-awardees. He is one of his company’s outstanding seafarers, getting all accolades from all levels during his entire years of service in the company,” Cristobal said.
Amano has been with his employer for 26 years.
Other outstanding employee-awardees were Marcos Antonio Torres, who carried the Olympic torch during the 2008 Beijing Olympics; Analiza Perez-Amurao, a one-time teacher of the year in Thailand’s Mahidol University International College; Jesefina Omalsa, the first Filipino nurse to be accredited as a national surveyor by Saudi Arabia; Rosalito Nebre, for his outstanding performance as manager of the Summit Park View Hotel in Burma (Myanmar); and Elmer Ortega, a multiawarded advertising creative director in Jordan.
Also honored with the award for community and social service were Dr. Celerino Umandap for his charitable works for Filipino communities in Kuwait, and Marilyn Kasimieh for her assistance to distressed Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates and for her support for her provincemates in Iloilo.
Similarly honored were Frank Jamadre for his leadership in helping fellow Filipino workers abroad and indigents in the Philippines, and Irma Tobias for her role in protecting the rights of Filipino workers in Italy and in promoting cultural understanding between Filipinos and Italians.
http://bit.ly/tJr2RZ
Philippine Daily Inquirer 3:11 am | Friday, December 2nd, 2011
An educator, who helped bring to Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries the professional board examinations for mechanical engineers, received the highest award for an overseas Filipino worker at ceremonies Thursday in Malacañang.
President Benigno Aquino III led the awarding rites for the country’s outstanding overseas Filipino workers. Among the awardees were seafarers who kept their vessels afloat during Japan’s 9-magnitude earthquake and tsunami of March 11, and caregivers who showed “heroism and loyalty” in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
The Bagong Bayani Foundation Inc. conferred the “Blas F. Ople Award para sa Natatanging Bayani” on Eduardo Parra Malagapo for “his outstanding achievement in the field of education and his tireless involvement in various socio-civic activities and humanitarian services for fellow Filipinos abroad.”
“(Malagapo) was instrumental in bringing to Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries the professional board examinations for mechanical engineers, which has considerably contributed to the professional growth of our mechanical engineers in that part of the world,” said BBFI vice president Rene Cristobal, the master of ceremonies.
Cited as outstanding employees were the Filipino crew members of MT Diamond Champ and MT Nichichiko for “risking their lives keeping their ships afloat during the destructive earthquake and tsunami that” hit Sendai City in northeast Japan.
“Faced with imminent danger, their heroism and competence as seafarers saved precious lives and properties and averted potential environmental disaster that would result from oil spills,” Cristobal said.
Also cited were the Filipino seafarers on MV South Islander for their rescue of 27 crew members of Daichi Shoei Maru No. 1, a fishing boat, which caught fire in the Pacific Ocean in April.
Caregivers
Among those awarded the Bagong Bayani Award for community and social service were caregivers Mercedes Joie Aquino, Sandra Otacan, Gemma Juanay and Juliet Copatan.
“Despite the danger and risk of exposure to nuclear radiation during the earthquake and tsunami calamity that rocked Fukushima in March this year, (they) elected to remain in their jobs and continued to provide care and companionship to their Japanese elderly patients,” Cristobal said.
Captain Autonomo Amano of Hoegh Fleet Services was awarded the Gregorio Oca Achievement Award, which is given to seafarers “who best symbolize any of the achievement of contribution of the late Captain Oca to the maritime industry.”
“Captain Amano stands out as the most deserving among the seafarer-awardees. He is one of his company’s outstanding seafarers, getting all accolades from all levels during his entire years of service in the company,” Cristobal said.
Amano has been with his employer for 26 years.
Other outstanding employee-awardees were Marcos Antonio Torres, who carried the Olympic torch during the 2008 Beijing Olympics; Analiza Perez-Amurao, a one-time teacher of the year in Thailand’s Mahidol University International College; Jesefina Omalsa, the first Filipino nurse to be accredited as a national surveyor by Saudi Arabia; Rosalito Nebre, for his outstanding performance as manager of the Summit Park View Hotel in Burma (Myanmar); and Elmer Ortega, a multiawarded advertising creative director in Jordan.
Also honored with the award for community and social service were Dr. Celerino Umandap for his charitable works for Filipino communities in Kuwait, and Marilyn Kasimieh for her assistance to distressed Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates and for her support for her provincemates in Iloilo.
Similarly honored were Frank Jamadre for his leadership in helping fellow Filipino workers abroad and indigents in the Philippines, and Irma Tobias for her role in protecting the rights of Filipino workers in Italy and in promoting cultural understanding between Filipinos and Italians.
http://bit.ly/tJr2RZ
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