Vice President Jejomar C. Binay announced today that Alfredo Salmos, the Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in Saudi Arabia who was electrocuted in 2010, is finally home.
Salmos arrived at 12:50 p.m. today at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 via Saudi Air flight SV 872 from Jeddah.
“Ang kanyang pag-uwi ay bunga ng pagtutulungan ng mga ahensiya ng ating pamahalaan, ng mga non-governmental organizations, at ng mga kababayan natin na nasa Saudi Arabia na kumupkop at tumulong kay Alfredo,” Binay said.
“Ito ay patunay na marami tayong magagawa kung tayong lahat ay nagkakaisa at nagtutulungan,” he added.
After Salmos’ arrival, Binay met with Salmos and his family at the Coconut palace. He was accompanied by his siblings Epifania Reem Salmos–Colina and Junny Velasco Salmos.
“We are very greatful that after two years in the Middle East nakauwi na rin ang kapatid namin. Maraming salamat sa ating pamahalaan, sa mga NGOs at lalo na sa ating mga kababayan na nagpost sa FB para matutukan ang kaso ng kapatid ko,” Colina said.
“Pinapakita lang nito na buhay pa ang bayanihan spirit sa ating bansa. Na di lang gobyerno, pati mga ordinaryong tao ay may kakayahang tumulong sa ating mga OFWs,” she added.
Binay, the Presidential Adviser on OFW Concerns, said Salmos’ repatriation was delayed because of a lack of a final exit clearance from his employer, and a police clearance in connection with his involvement in a car accident a decade ago.
He said he has been working with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah, and the Department of Labor and Employment and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration “to bring a concerted effort” in asking the Saudi government to grant Salmos’ exit.
“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa lahat ng mga tumulong para makauwi si Alfred – sa mga nagpost sa Facebook, sa mga taga-media, sa NGOs katulad ng Patnubay Riyadh at Powers of Prayers, at mga OFW Advocates sa Saudi Arabia, ang ating Philippine Consulate sa Jeddah, ang DFA at ang OWWA,” Binay said.
“Dito naman sa Pilipinas, makakaasa kayo na magkakaroon din ng bayanihan sa pagtulong kay Mang Fred at sa kanyang pamilya na makabangong muli. Nariyan ang Ople Center at ang Office of the Vice President at iba pang mga pribadong samahan,” he added.
The 52-year-old Salmos, a native of Nueva Ecija, has been unemployed since his accident. He was in a coma for a month and is now still recuperating from his injuries, which have left him severely scarred.
