Press Release No. 127-2012

2 August 2012 

Philippine Embassy officials led by Ambassador Ezzedin Tago visited Wadi Dawaser in southwest of Riyadh Region, 600 kilometers from Riyadh the capital, on the invitation of the Governor of Wadi Dawaser, the Ministry of Dawah and Guidance and the Center for Islamic Dawah for Expatriates in Wadi Dawaser.

Ambassador Tago, Labor Attache Alberto Valenciano and Cultural Officer Mohamed Taha Guinomla attended on 27 July the closing ceremony of the 4th Filipino Basketball Tournament organized by the Center.

Acting Governor H.E. Khalid Al-Ghamas, officials of the Ministry based in Wadi Dawasir, and officials of the Dawah Center welcomed Ambassador Tago and the Philippine Embassy officials.

The basketball tournament has been ongoing for 9 weeks, and it is the fourth year in a row that the Center has organized the tournament for Filipinos in Wadi Dawaser.

The tournament included more than 200 players in over 10 teams, representing different companies and hospitals in Wadi Dawaser.

During his statement, Ambassador Tago thanked the Acting Governor of Wadi Dawaser and the Center for Guidance and Dawah for organizing the Filipino Basketball League which helps Filipinos in the governorate deal positively with their free time.  He also thanked the leadership of the Kingdom and its people for the employment opportunities offered to Filipinos, citing that many companies laud the Filipino workers for their hard work and professionalism.

With the awarding of prizes for the tournament winners, there were also raffle tickets for Filipinos attending there closing ceremony and Filipino players who participated in the basketball league.  A major raffle prize awarded by the organizer was a roundtrip ticket to the Philippines.

Wadi Dawaser is known for its agriculture, and has several agricultural and manufacturing companies.

Labor Attache Albert Valenciano took the opportunity during the occasion to talk to Filipino workers from various companies and find out about their employment conditions in the Wadi Dawaser companies.