More than 7,000 Filipinos were assisted by the Philippine Consulate in Dubai in 2017, with the equivalent of more than US$800,000 spent on such activities.
The Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) section of the consulate rendered such services as assistance for civil cases, labor issues, passport retrieval, temporary shelter and repatriation, Gulf News reported.
Consul General Paul Raymond Cortes said the consulate was always prepared to extend help to Filipinos in need. “If they can’t fight for their rights, they can come to the consulate and we will fight for their rights,” he said.
A total of 2.97 million Emirati dirhams ($808,700) was spent on the ATN program in Dubai last year. Cortes said the consulate aimed to help more Filipinos this year.
Cortes urged Filipinos who need help from the consulate to be patient as some requests take time to process because there is a limited number of staff members in the ATN section.