InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines - An overseas Filipino worker in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is asking for assistance to return home two years after an accident left him with severe burns and a deformed face.
Alfredo Salmos, a 52-year-old electrician for Siemens in Jeddah, was electrocuted in 2010 by a 14,000-volt breaker he was trying to shut down. He was in a coma for a month and is now still recuperating from his injuries, which have left him severely scarred.
Migrant groups and friends of Salmos, a native of Nueva Ecija, have trumpeted calls for his repatriation and sent out calls for monetary assistance for his operations.
In a video posted on YouTube, Salmos asked his kababayans to help him finance his operations.
He said that while monetary assistance is great, he just wants to have help for his procedure so that he can get back on his feet and work.
“’Yung mga financial ano, makakaraos din siguro, pero eto talaga nahihirapan ... tsaka wala akong pera magpa-opera sa Pilipinas (Financial assistance, I guess I can get along, but this is really difficult … and I have no money to have surgery in the Philippines),”Salmos said.
A fellow OFW, Paranaque native Steven Villanueva Ambrosia, who with his mother has been taking care of the injured Salmos, posted several pictures of the injured worker on Facebook, imploring Filipinos to share the photos to bring attention to the OFW’s plight.
One photo has been shared nearly 13,000 times, with comments of support and prayers.
OFW advocate Roy Seneres also wrote a letter to the Department of Foreign Affairs to seek help for the injured Filipino.
“Please take note that the physical well being of OFW Salmos is slowly deteriorating and he has no family members to look after him in Jeddah,” he said in his letter.
Migrante Middle East also wrote a letter to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration asking for assistance.
Salmos, according to them, had been undocumented for 10 years after his iqama or residence permit expired following a vehicular accident.
Those who want to help Salmos may contact him thru his phone number: 0564-623-287.
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