Refresher on Saudi laws held for embassy staff

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh conducted over the past month refresher courses and seminars on various laws and regulations affecting Filipinos in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for all embassy and attached services personnel.

“The seminars are part of our efforts to ensure our embassy personnel are fully equipped to help our nationals within the framework of the local laws.  We must constantly and regularly update our personnel on changes in laws and regulations that affect our nationals especially on the international level, and within the Kingdom and the Philippines.  We are doing this first at the level of our personnel before our officials embark on some outreach missions to update our nationals on laws that affect them.” Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ezzedin Tago said.

In a span of three days, the lectures and seminars that were led by Labor Attaché Rustico Dela Fuente focused on the Saudi Labor Law and its recent amendments, changes in the residency regulations and penalties for violations, the Philippines-Saudi Arabia agreement on domestic workers, and Royal Decree 310 approving the codified framework for the protection of Household Service Workers (HSWs).

Fuente reminded personnel about the recently launched website (www.musaned.gov.sa) by the Saudi Ministry of Labor that focuses on HSWs. The website contains a comprehensive brochure in various languages, including Tagalog that was then circulated earlier and posted copies around the Embassy. 

It was also explained that under Saudi regulations, household workers in all categories are now entitled to file their complaints with the Saudi Ministry of Labor through Grievance Committees.

The embassy will soon conduct similar courses for community members, and will tackle online platforms for the dissemination of advisories and new regulations. (Iza Iglesias)