RP hopeful Oman will grant OFWs amnesty

MANILA, Philippines—The government of Oman is carefully weighing a proposal from the Philippines that it grant amnesty to some 1,300 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) stranded in the border towns of Al Buraimi and Khassab.

This was disclosed yesterday by Ambassador to Oman Acmad Omar in a phone interview with Vice President Noli de Castro on the latter’s weekly radio program, “Para Sa Iyo, Bayan.”

But Omar said the Omani government was reluctant to grant an “amnesty” that could take the form of waiving penalties on OFWs whose visas had expired and now who faced fines and deportation.

"Oman is carefully considering the request. There are about 500,000 Indian nationals also staying at the borders. It might set a precedent that could prompt a similar plea from Indian illegals who number so much more than our OFWs,” Omar told De Castro, who is the presidential adviser on OFWs.

The amnesty proposal, first initiated by De Castro through the Philippine Embassy in Muscat, also asked that the stranded OFWs be allowed to work in Oman in the meantime.

“I do hope the Omani government will consider and understand the plight of our OFWs there. The waiver of penalties will be a big relief to them. It’s good to know also that Ambassador Omar has already given immediate assistance to these stranded OFWs,” De Castro said.

Omar had asked some employment agencies in Oman, whose economy is experiencing a boom, to conduct interviews on site and possibly hire OFWs.

De Castro said the OFWs could not be considered illegal workers in Oman, since they were simply overstaying after crossing over from the UAE.

He said the OFWs are given two weeks’ notice and those found to be overstaying are fined 10 riyals or P1,250 per day.

Also among the illegals in Oman are Chinese and Moroccans, who along with the Indians and Filipinos, have exited to Oman to await the renewal of their visas to the United Arab Emirates.

Omar said he had visited the border thrice and advised the OFWs to go home to the Philippines to await the renewal of their visit visas instead of staying at the border, to no avail.

“They said they would wait for the opportunity to go back to the UAE,” he said.

There were over 2,000 OFWs stranded in Al Buraimi when Omar visited on Sept. 27 and Oct. 1. The number decreased to over 1,000 by Oct. 5. By Oct. 16, some 1,000 OFWs were left in Al Buraimi and some 300 in Khasab. - Cynthia Balana, Philippine Daily Inquirer, October 26, 2008