Vice President and Presidential Adviser for Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) concerns Jejomar C. Binay called Filipinos in the Middle East to take precautionary measures against the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome- Corona Virus (MERS-CoV).
“I urge our OFWs in the Middle East to follow the steps prescribed by the DOH. These are easy enough and should go a long way in preventing infection,” Binay said.
The Vice President also urged Filipinos in the region not to panic and confirm reports about the virus with Philippine officials in their area.
“The World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet declared that there is a MERS-CoV outbreak or epidemic, so there is no cause for panic. If rumors start to circulate, the best thing to do is to ask your respective embassies or consulates,” he added.
According to the WHO, the virus appears to be circulating widely throughout the Arabian Peninsula. Other countries outside the Arabian Peninsula that have reported cases of MERS include France, Germany, Greece, Italy, and the United Kingdom (Europe); Tunisia and Egypt (Africa); Malaysia and the Philippines (Asia); and in the United States of America.
The number of confirmed cases worldwide is recorded at 243, including three deaths. (OVP/WHO/RJB/JEG/PIA-NCR)
- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=241400664535#sthash.dZbZ3Ku1.dpuf
Showing posts with label Jejomar Binay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jejomar Binay. Show all posts
Friday, May 23, 2014
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
VP Binay fears January execution of Joselito Zapanta if blood money is not paid
Joselito Zapanta, the overseas Filipino workers (OFW) on death row in
Saudi Arabia, may be executed in January if his family will not be able
to raise the blood money needed to save him.
This was according to Vice President Jejomar Binay, who renewed his appeal to Filipinos to contribute to the amount raised by the Philippine government, which currently stands at SR520,831 (P6,133,722).
“I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to our kababayans as the victim’s family is now becoming insistent,” said Binay, the presidential adviser on OFW concerns, in a statement Tuesday.
“We fear that the execution may happen in January if the blood money is not paid,” he added.
Zapanta was sentenced to death in 2009 for killing his Sudanese landlord allegedly out of self-defense. He was given reprieve several times in the past, once in November of last year, and another in March of this year.
Read the rest of the story at GMANews.tv
This was according to Vice President Jejomar Binay, who renewed his appeal to Filipinos to contribute to the amount raised by the Philippine government, which currently stands at SR520,831 (P6,133,722).
“I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to our kababayans as the victim’s family is now becoming insistent,” said Binay, the presidential adviser on OFW concerns, in a statement Tuesday.
“We fear that the execution may happen in January if the blood money is not paid,” he added.
Zapanta was sentenced to death in 2009 for killing his Sudanese landlord allegedly out of self-defense. He was given reprieve several times in the past, once in November of last year, and another in March of this year.
Read the rest of the story at GMANews.tv
Friday, April 19, 2013
OFWs are ambassadors of the Philippines
“Remember that you are our ambassadors as well, so your actions also reflect on our country,” Binay reminded OFWs as he repeated his call on Philippine Embassy officials in Saudi Arabia to speed up the processing of papers of undocumented workers who needed to be sent back home and to runaways who needed shelter and legal assistance.
Reports say there are about 80 OFWs camping outside of the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah.
Binay, who is also the Presidential Adviser on OFW concerns, made the appeal as the KSA government implements the April 6 three-month reprieve issued by King Abdullah for foreign workers who have problems with their papers.
The reprieve delays the arrests of foreign workers as well as gives them the opportunity to correct their documents.
Working under employers who are not original sponsors is a violation of immigration laws in the Kingdom.
“For workers affected by the Saudization policy, they need to be able to legally transfer from their original sponsors to their current employers. Workers who have long run away from their original sponsors and no longer have valid residency permits or passports meanwhile are in a different category altogether. Theirs is an immigration problem and no longer a labor one,” the Vice President said.
Saudi Arabia, one of the favorite destinations of Filipino workers, is now observing Nizaqat: a government drive to provide more jobs to Saudi nationals.
There is no amnesty for foreigners illegally staying in Saudi Arabia.
source: Lyndon Plantilla/PIA Central Newsdesk
Friday, March 15, 2013
OFW Zapanta given 3-month reprieve — VP Binay
Vice President Jejomar Binay yesterday announced that Joselito Zapanta,
the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) scheduled for execution in Saudi
Arabia, has been given a three-month reprieve by the Saudi government.
At a press conference at the Coconut Palace, Binay, the presidential adviser for OFW Concerns, said Saudi King Abdullah has given an order to defer the execution of all qizas or death penalty cases in the Arab country, including that of Zapanta.
He said this was confirmed by Adbulaziz Abdulrahman Al Gaeit, the Assistant of the Undersecretary for Public Rights of the Emir’s Office, who met with the Philippine Embassy officials in Riyadh.
Binay said Zapanta’s reprieve begins the day after the deadline set by the victim’s relatives for the payment of the blood money.
However, the Vice President clarified that the reprieve did not mean that the deadline set for Zapanta’s family to pay the blood money has also been extended. “There is still no decision from the victim’s family on this matter. But this is to be given attention by our embassy in Riyadh,” he said. Binay again thanked King Abdullah “for yet another humanitarian gesture.”
“His benevolence has given our kababayan a three month lease on life, and his family additional time to raise the blood money,” he said. “We also wish to thank the Emir’s Office for their efforts in facilitating the amicable settlement and forgiveness, as well as the extension of the deadlines, allowing the maximum period for the settlement of the amount,” Binay added.
He also pointed to the work being done by the Philppine Ambassador to Saudi, Ambassador Tago and the entire officials and officers of in our Embassy, and the DFA headed by Secretary Albert del Rosario, in their efforts to help our countrymen abroad.”” he further said.
The Vice President also revealed that President Aquino and Zapanta’s mother, Maymona, both wrote King Abdullan on March 9 to ask for his help.
Binay said Zapanta and his mother were able to talk on March 10, when the latter, accompanied by Philippine Embassy officials, visited her son in jail.
The Vice President reiterated his appeal for help to come up with the full amount needed to secure Zapanta’s freedom.
source: Tribune
At a press conference at the Coconut Palace, Binay, the presidential adviser for OFW Concerns, said Saudi King Abdullah has given an order to defer the execution of all qizas or death penalty cases in the Arab country, including that of Zapanta.
He said this was confirmed by Adbulaziz Abdulrahman Al Gaeit, the Assistant of the Undersecretary for Public Rights of the Emir’s Office, who met with the Philippine Embassy officials in Riyadh.
Binay said Zapanta’s reprieve begins the day after the deadline set by the victim’s relatives for the payment of the blood money.
However, the Vice President clarified that the reprieve did not mean that the deadline set for Zapanta’s family to pay the blood money has also been extended. “There is still no decision from the victim’s family on this matter. But this is to be given attention by our embassy in Riyadh,” he said. Binay again thanked King Abdullah “for yet another humanitarian gesture.”
“His benevolence has given our kababayan a three month lease on life, and his family additional time to raise the blood money,” he said. “We also wish to thank the Emir’s Office for their efforts in facilitating the amicable settlement and forgiveness, as well as the extension of the deadlines, allowing the maximum period for the settlement of the amount,” Binay added.
He also pointed to the work being done by the Philppine Ambassador to Saudi, Ambassador Tago and the entire officials and officers of in our Embassy, and the DFA headed by Secretary Albert del Rosario, in their efforts to help our countrymen abroad.”” he further said.
The Vice President also revealed that President Aquino and Zapanta’s mother, Maymona, both wrote King Abdullan on March 9 to ask for his help.
Binay said Zapanta and his mother were able to talk on March 10, when the latter, accompanied by Philippine Embassy officials, visited her son in jail.
The Vice President reiterated his appeal for help to come up with the full amount needed to secure Zapanta’s freedom.
source: Tribune
Friday, December 10, 2010
VP Binay lauds Malacañang's P1-billion loan fund for OFWs
The idea of the fund is to provide capital and provide long-term employment to the returnees, so that for them working abroad will be a mere option and not a necessity.
Then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo first planted the seed of this program in several speeches during her term.
”This program is in line with the administration’s focus on alleviating poverty and providing gainful employment for our people. I am hopeful that in the long run, we will be able to provide gainful employment and economic opportunities,” said Binay, the concurrent Presidential Adviser on OFW Concerns.
In a related development, Binay has directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to monitor closely the case of a group of alleged illegal recruiters arrested last week, including two British nationals and four Filipinos.
The suspects are currently detained at the office of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Camp Crame for possible charges of illegal recruitment and estafa. They were reportedly connected with the NSN Worldwide Advisers, Inc., a visa consultancy agency.
Speaking in Filipino, Binay told the PNP-CIDG “to be earnest with the assignment if only to show the Filipino people our strong stand against illegal recruitment.”
Binay received a CIDG briefer from seven complainants who alleged that they were recruited as caregivers and housekeepers in London with a salary of P100,000, complete with free hospitalization, free education for their dependents, and a United Kingdom immigrant status for their family after two years.
The suspects allegedly assured them of entry to the UK through a Tier 4 student visa. But the UK’s Border Agency (Immigration) turned down the visa applications because of nefarious documentation.
The detention of the suspects came barely a week after the UK approved limits to the number and qualifications of non-Europeans who can enter and work in the United Kingdom. The limits apparently included Filipinos.
source: Manila Bulettin website
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