Overstaying Filipinos selling blood to survive

Filipinos staying illegally in Saudi Arabia are selling their blood to get money to support themselves in the oil-rich Gulf Kingdom and send funds to their families at home, the Philippine embassy in Saudi Arabia has said.

In a statement carried by Saudi newspapers, the embassy said it had received information that many Philippine citizens who illegally reside in Saudi Arabia have sold their blood to local hospitals and other medical centres although such a practice is banned in the world’s dominant oil exporter.

“Saudi Arabia’s laws strictly prohibit sale of blood by any one….any Philippine citizen who needs help must contact the embassy,” it said.

Saudi Arabia is the largest base for Philippine expatriates in the Middle East, with more than 500,000 from that country working in the largest Arab economy.

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