An estimated 7,000 overseas Filipino workers, illegally residing in
Saudi Arabia, have applied for voluntary repatriation since the first quarter
of 2011, says Migrante Middle East (M-ME). – Photo by ArabianBusiness.ComFilipino
MANILA: Undocumented migrants in Saudi Arabia may soon find
it difficult to connect with their families in the Philippines following the implementation
of Saudi’s new SIM card registration policy.
According to the Filipino migrants rights group
Migrante-Middle East, Saudi’s Communication and Information Technology
Commission will implement a new regulation requiring phone users to input their
national identification number (Iqama) immediately after entering their prepaid
card number to load-up or transfer balances.
Saudi telecommunication companies said last week failure to
do this would cause disconnection of SIM card services.
Migrante regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona said
thousands of undocumented migrants who do not have updated identification
numbers will be affected by the policy.
“It is a common
knowledge that there are thousands of undocumented migrants, including
Filipinos, in Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Obviously, the Iqama or identification card of an
undocumented is expired, so he or she will not be able to update or register to
continue using a SIM card or to get a new one, Monterona added. - Inquirer
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