Filipinos in Saudi Arabia
Philippines Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III (right) speaking to a group of Filipino workers stationed in Saudi Arabia in 2016
Total population
938,490[1]
Languages
Filipino, English, Arabic
Religion
Islam, Roman Catholicism and other Christian denominations
Related ethnic groups
Filipino people, Overseas Filipinos

Filipinos in Saudi Arabia are migrants or descendants of the Philippines who live in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is currently the largest employer of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs),[2] and has the largest Filipino population in the Middle East.[3] Filipinos make up the fourth-largest group of foreigners in Saudi Arabia,[4] and are the second-largest source of remittances to the Philippines.[5]

Migration history

Filipinos first arrived in Saudi Arabia in 1973, when a group of Filipino engineers migrated to the country.[6] As of 2009, staff at the Saudi Arabian embassy in the Philippines process between 800 and 900 jobs for Filipinos daily.[7] In 2008, Saudi Arabia had 300,000 job orders for Filipinos.[8] Later, in the first time hiring Filipino medical professionals, Saudi Arabia announced intentions to hire 6,000 Filipinos as doctors and nurses between 2009 and 2011.[7] In addition to medical professionals, Filipinos work as automotive workers,[9] construction workers,[10] and engineers,[6] as well as in the fields of desalination,[10] petroleum production and processing,[10] telecommunications,[10] and transportation.[10] In 2023, there were an estimated 130,000 Filipino nurses working in Saudi Arabia.[11][12][13]

Labor issues

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte speaking to a group of repatriated overseas Filipino workers from Saudi Arabia in 2016

Every year, an unknown number of Filipinos in Saudi Arabia are "victims of sexual abuses, maltreatment, unpaid salaries, and other labor malpractices," according to John Leonard Monterona, the Middle East coordinator of Migrante, a Manila-based OFW organization.[14] Some Filipinos are attracted and transported to Saudi Arabia illegally, where they are left stranded without work.[15] Between January and August 2008, approximately 800 throughout the country sought help at Migrante chapters,[15] and 922 others were deported to the Philippines in the first three months of 2008 after overstaying their visa requirements.[16] At one point in early 2008, 103 Filipinos stranded in Jeddah lived in a tent camp under a bridge before being able to be processed for deportation.[16][17][18]

Education

Serenata, a children's choir composed of Filipino school children in Jeddah

As of February 2006 about 75% of the Philippine international schools represented by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) were located in Saudi Arabia. Community-owned Philippine schools, including the International Philippine School in Al Khobar (IPSA), the International Philippine School in Jeddah (IPSJ), and International Philippine School in Riyadh (IPSR), were by 2006 managed by independent school boards but were initially managed by the diplomatic missions themselves.[19] As of 2006, Riyadh has 13 Philippine private schools and Jeddah has five Philippine private schools.[20]

Large numbers of Philippine children came to Saudi after many Filipino workers arrived in Saudi Arabia in the 1980s. The first Philippine school in Saudi Arabia, Philippine School in Jeddah was established after the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah began making efforts to start a school in 1983, and Philippine schools were later established in Riyadh and other Saudi cities. In 2000 Saudi Arabia had nine accredited Philippine schools.[19] By 2005 Jeddah alone had four Philippine international schools, with two more scheduled to open shortly.[21] By 2006 there were 21 Philippine schools recognized by the CFO, reflecting a 133% growth rate from 2000.[19]

Community international schools in Saudi Arabia are not required to separate male and female students into separate campuses and are allowed to host social activities with men and women mixed.[22] Regis and Guzman stated that in private Philippine international schools, unlike in the community schools, many Saudi rules that are not consistent with the culture of the Philippines are enforced.[23]

Recreation and sports

Manila Plaza, a Filipino market in Riyadh

The Filipino (Muslim) community has organized recreation and sometimes tournaments, to meet with fellow friends, relatives and fellow Filipinos.

List of sports:

  • Basketball
  • Tennis
  • Badminton
  • Volleyball
  • Darts

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Distribution on Filipinos Overseas". dfa.gov.ph. Department of Foreign Affairs (Philippines). December 2014. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  2. ↑ Antonio, Raymund F. (2007-05-29). "Saudi Arabia remains No. 1 employer of OFWs". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  3. ↑ "OFWs group in Saudi hails reforms for overseas Pinoy DHs". DOLE News. 2007-01-30. Archived from the original on February 9, 2007. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  4. ↑ Garcia, Madelaine Joy A. (2008-06-28). "Pinoys in top 10 foreign populations of 16 countries". PBSN. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  5. ↑ Opiniano, Jeremaiah M. (2008-08-20). "Economist says crisis stretching OFWs' ability to send money". Philippine Times. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  6. 1 2 Wali, Mohammed Ameen. "Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the Philippines". Mofa.gov.sa. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  7. 1 2 Torres, Estrella (2009-01-22). "Saudi Arabia will still need RP medical professionals". Business Mirror. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  8. ↑ Martin, Sammy (2008-04-06). "More workers needed for the Middle East". Sunday Times. Archived from the original on October 17, 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  9. ↑ "POLO mediation improves conditions of 15 Filipino car workers in Saudi Arabia". DOLE News. 2004-11-11. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Deployment of OFWs seen to increase this year -Imson". DOLE News. 2004-06-22. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  11. ↑ Aben, Ellie (July 23, 2023). "Filipino nurses quit low-pay jobs at home for careers in Saudi Arabia". Arab News. Manila. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  12. ↑ "What makes Saudi Arabia an ideal destination for Filipino healthcare workers?". Manila Bulletin. April 12, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Saudi a top destination for Pinoy nurses". Daily Tribune. April 15, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  14. ↑ Leonard, John (2008-07-03). "OFW rights violation worsens under the Arroyo administration". Filipino OFWs Qatar. Archived from the original on 2009-01-07. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  15. 1 2 Olea, Ronalyn (2008-10-25). "Middle East is 'Most Distressing OFW Destination' - Migrant Group". Bulatlat News. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  16. 1 2 Makilan, Aubrey S. C. (2008-03-01). "191 OFWs Still Stranded in Jeddah, Says Migrante-Saudi". Bulatlat News. Archived from the original on May 1, 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  17. ↑ Cueto, Francis Earl A. (2008-02-17). "24 stranded OFWs in Saudi submit". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  18. ↑ Aubrey S.C. (2008-02-23). "Stranded OFWs in Jeddah had to Camp Out Under Bridge to be Repatriated". Bulatlat News. Archived from the original on January 6, 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  19. 1 2 3 Regis, Czarina Valerie A. and Allan B. de Guzman. "A system within a system: the Philippine schools overseas." Educational Research for Policy and Practice. July 2006, Volume 5, Issue 2, pp 175-183. Published online on September 9, 2006. CITED: p. 177.
  20. ↑ Regis, Czarina Valerie A. and Allan B. de Guzman. "A system within a system: the Philippine schools overseas." Educational Research for Policy and Practice. July 2006, Volume 5, Issue 2, pp 175-183. Published online on September 9, 2006. CITED: p. 180.
  21. ↑ Salud, Francis R. "2 More Filipino Schools to Open in Jeddah" (Archived 2015-12-22 at the Wayback Machine). Arab News. Thursday 7 March 2005. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.
  22. ↑ Regis, Czarina Valerie A. and Allan B. de Guzman. "A system within a system: the Philippine schools overseas." Educational Research for Policy and Practice. July 2006, Volume 5, Issue 2, pp 175-183. Published online on September 9, 2006. CITED: p. 178.
  23. ↑ Regis, Czarina Valerie A. and Allan B. de Guzman. "A system within a system: the Philippine schools overseas." Educational Research for Policy and Practice. July 2006, Volume 5, Issue 2, pp 175-183. Published online on September 9, 2006. CITED: p. 181.
  24. ↑ Ramiele Malubay biography. Yahoo!. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
  25. ↑ Grass, Damian (2008-03-13). Little 'Idol,' Big Voice: Malubay, Baby. Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 19, 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
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