A hospital was left caring for a baby boy when his mother fled the building and boarded a flight out of the country, fearing the birth out of wedlock would lead to jail time.
Universal Hospital has looked after the child, named Sebastian, for the past nine months since his mother, from the Philippines, absconded.
Doctors said they and the embassy are trying to create a future for the child, including an adoption.
![]() |
Baby Sebastian |
"We couldn’t leave the baby so we took on the responsibility and have been caring him for the last nine months," said Dr Shabeer Nellikode, the hospital’s founder and managing director.
Staff said the woman was in the final stages of labour when she was rushed to the facility on Airport Road.
The child was taken to the intensive care unit following complications at birth.
As he was being monitored, the mother, who had no insurance documents available, explained to staff that she would leave the hospital to arrange payment for the procedure and treatment, but never returned.
Staff later learned she was married and her husband remained in the Philippines. But she had become pregnant by another man in Abu Dhabi.
Dr Essam Ali, a senior quality manager, said medical staff have been in talks with the Philippines embassy for some time.
"We approached the Philippines embassy in Abu Dhabi but they told us that the mother is not interested in the baby," he said.
The hospital allocated a room that has swing, a bed, sofa, toys and a full-time nurse to look after the child. The hospital said it will cover all expenses.
Several staff have offered to adopt the baby, but the process is complex.
As he was being monitored, the mother, who had no insurance documents available, explained to staff that she would leave the hospital to arrange payment for the procedure and treatment, but never returned.
Staff later learned she was married and her husband remained in the Philippines. But she had become pregnant by another man in Abu Dhabi.
Dr Essam Ali, a senior quality manager, said medical staff have been in talks with the Philippines embassy for some time.
"We approached the Philippines embassy in Abu Dhabi but they told us that the mother is not interested in the baby," he said.
The hospital allocated a room that has swing, a bed, sofa, toys and a full-time nurse to look after the child. The hospital said it will cover all expenses.
Several staff have offered to adopt the baby, but the process is complex.
Dr Ali visits Sebastian every day.
"The lady left behind the baby and escaped from the country. She was afraid that her husband would come to know about the baby and this would jeopardise their marriage," said the Egyptian, who has lived in Abu Dhabi for more than 20 years.
During the time she was in the hospital, the mother was not able to produce her passport copy, or that of the father, or a marriage certificate.
Without that hospital cannot issue a birth certificate.
Dr Ali said he planned to travel to the Philippines in an attempt to find a way to adopt the child.
"There is a lengthy procedure for adoption in Philippines as well, but I will go there to work through the legal channels.
"If the mother refuses to take the baby, this allows others to adopt legally," said Dr Ali, who hopes the child will join his family.
He has a wife and a 12-year-old boy.
After eight months of negotiation with the Philippines embassy, he said officials have issued a passport to Sebastian, although the child needs legal clearance to travel outside the country.
The Philippines embassy confirmed that negotiations are ongoing. A spokesman said: "We can’t give any details as to what we are doing about the baby, as the investigation is ongoing".
"The lady left behind the baby and escaped from the country. She was afraid that her husband would come to know about the baby and this would jeopardise their marriage," said the Egyptian, who has lived in Abu Dhabi for more than 20 years.
During the time she was in the hospital, the mother was not able to produce her passport copy, or that of the father, or a marriage certificate.
Without that hospital cannot issue a birth certificate.
Dr Ali said he planned to travel to the Philippines in an attempt to find a way to adopt the child.
"There is a lengthy procedure for adoption in Philippines as well, but I will go there to work through the legal channels.
![]() |
Dr. Essam Ali visits the baby everyday. He hopes to adopt Baby Sebastian. |
"If the mother refuses to take the baby, this allows others to adopt legally," said Dr Ali, who hopes the child will join his family.
He has a wife and a 12-year-old boy.
After eight months of negotiation with the Philippines embassy, he said officials have issued a passport to Sebastian, although the child needs legal clearance to travel outside the country.
The Philippines embassy confirmed that negotiations are ongoing. A spokesman said: "We can’t give any details as to what we are doing about the baby, as the investigation is ongoing".
source: The National
OFW On Death Row in Jeddah KSA To Undergo Second Psychiatric Checkup![In the latest news about Filipino Workers on Death Row in Saudi Arabia, Regour de Padua, 39, a driver in Jeddah who was sentenced to death by beheading received some sort of reprieve when the Summary Court (Trial Court) in Jeddah decided to send de Padua to a second psychiatric checkup before passing its sentence. In November 2008, “Reno” stole a 55-seater bus from the premises of Saudia catering in the Khalidiya District. He drove wildly for two hours, hitting cars everywhere he went. Investigations showed that De Padua was not himself the day before after receiving a letter from his fiancee. He knocked on the door of his colleague at work in the early hours of the next day, holding a hammer in his hand, but his colleague shut the door. De Padua went outside and broke the glass of his boss’ car, and then stole the bus with up to twelve passengers still on board. He was reported to be shouting "If no Filipino speaks to me now, I’m going to crash the bus!" The passengers pleaded with him to stop, which he briefly did, giving the 12 enough time to jump from the windows. Three were injured in their falls, one requiring hospital attention. De Padua proceeded toward the Haramain Highway he was spotted by police, but he ignored their warnings for him to stop and a 120 kmph-pursuit into oncoming traffic ensued in which at least 18 vehicles were hit. The speeding collided with a Toyota Corolla, killing the Saudi family and a Bangladesh expat. After about a year of deliberations, the court decided to send the accused to Shihar hospital, a mental hospital in Taif, to have a second psychiatric checkup. This is after the lawyers of the defendant, appointed by the Philippine Embassy, presented new medical reports which said the accused was suffering from a mental and psychological illness. The medical report says that he began to show signs of changes in behavior after receiving a letter from his fiancee informing him of her desire to end their relationship. It said de Padua has been refusing food and failing to cooperate with doctors, leading them to resort to force-feeding him via a tube inserted in his nose. The attorney general and the families of the deceased continued to demand capital punishment for the culprit. Mohammed Ayed Al-Qarni, a 70-year-old Saudi citizen, lost his wife, son and daughter in the accident. He said he is anxiously waiting for the death penalty for the driver. He hoped that he would live until he saw the driver executed. A former circuit court called for the execution of the driver for carelessly killing Saad Mohammed Ayed Al-Qarni, his sister Salmah and his mother Ayedah Awad Al-Omari in addition to Waheed Daud Miyah, a Bangladeshi national. The circuit court also ruled that the driver pay the blood money of SR250,000 to the families of the victims. The Court of Appeals rejected the verdict based on medical reports which said the driver was mentally ill. It sent the case back to the Summary Court. In 2016, Saudi Arabia executed a total of 153 prisoners from breaking Strict Sharia laws. Saudi courts appear to recognize that under limited circumstances, a person who does not have mental awareness of the consequences of his acts is not criminally responsible beyond payment of compensation. Those who are aware of the bad consequences of their acts but unable to control their behavior due to insanity might not be excepted from mandatory punishments but can be excepted from discretionary punishments. Those who are insane but could be argued to have the ability to control their actions might not be excused from capital punishment. The extent to which an individual’s judgment is compromised by his mental illness is a question that is left to the courts to determine, and not all individuals with mental illnesses are excluded from the death penalty.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiql7KLWkLhAFnOYHo9qNXJpvT68vtnRn9Ioe4UZQBj4loPNbNohM347B_BNTVU8IemqymCmkZAKP8DawwLO62YRzgaPH5vs9NS4cs2EJ7l1a-0eadtcRb3S3sXg97pDlOOlk3F/s640/banner.png)
Saudi Arabia - All Expats/OFWs in Government Jobs Will Be Terminated By 2020
![A shocking news was published recently in the newspaper Saudi Gazette, one which can have huge implications for the thousands of OFWs working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Apparently, there is a plan to remove all expatriate workers from government departments within three years is in the works. Believed to be one of the initiatives of the National Transformation Program 2020, the plan directs the Ministry of Civil Service to ask all ministries and government departments to replace all expatriate workers by the end of 2020. The move was apparently announced in a meeting last May 8, which was attended by senior officials from ministry and HR experts from different ministries, departments, universities and other public sector. The meeting, which focused on the initiative of Saudization plan by 2020, was said to be followed by a workshop titled "Job nationalization." The announcement was made public by deputy minister Abdullah Al-Melfi. Melfi further said “The complete nationalization of government jobs is an important objective of the National Transformation Program 2020 and the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.” It was said that there were 70,000 expats in the public sector at the end of last year. As for the number of OFWs, it is unknown so far as no solid statistics in available. Also unclear is the scope of the plan to remove expats. In the civil sector, the government employs thousands of expats across a broad range of industries, from ministry offices to industrial plants and utilities to universities and medical hospitals. Add to complication is the number of expats working in government but are actually employed privately and were only supplied to government institutions - like cleaners, clerks, medical staff, technicians, maintenance and so on. Currently, there are no clear plans laid out on how the Saudi government will implement this part of their plan, apart from the National Transformation Program 2020, which you can see here. What is clear is that Saudi Arabia is in a midst of an epic transformation which started with the crash of oil prices a few years ago. Guided by the program Vision 2030, the kingdom aims to change its course, focusing on developing its economy to be less dependent on its once vast oil reserves and the huge oil revenue it brings in annually. Expats have seen a lot of changes directly affecting their lives - from increased costs of gasoline, electricity and water, to new or increased levies imposed on expats and their dependents. News of expat taxes and remittance taxes also abound. But of all the news coming from the Saudi government, this one is sure to spell the end for thousands of OFWs in KSA.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aSlBtBnBTGGWcHvNC9PHPIhcokrRl9xTheHhAfhF5CKxl8tyoafY4PG3n4j8H4erb50fkH6enZy1_xeYbEEYBWXdoX-Uc0XrCea9iV8cB1mGR6_MWQGmE1lp5AGP1eAtlkau/s640/banner.png)
OFWs In Saudi Arabia Are Now Limited To Having Only Two SIM Cards
![Saudi Arabia has imposed limits on the number of prepaid SIM cards registered for citizens and foreigners, restrictions that the regulator said aim to prevent the use of cards in carrying out militant attacks in the kingdom. This move also comes after a massive nationwide campaign of sim card verification by linking each sim card to the fingerprint of its owner. Millions of foreign residents, including the hundreds of thousands of OFWs, are now limited to two prepaid SIM cards across all operators. The limit applies to both voice (call) and data (internet) lines in a country where a majority of expats rely on data SIMs for Internet. Saudis are restricted to a more generous amount of 10 prepaid SIM cards. Expats who have more than two sim cards which are already verified, will not be affected and will be allowed to keep their existing sim cards. They will not however be able to buy and register a new sim card in their name, until the authorities lift the limits. “This is considered a temporary procedure to correct and remedy the large number of illegal SIM cards in the market,” the Communications and Information Technology Commission, Saudi Arabia’s telecommunications regulator, said in a statement. "Illegal SIM cards have been used to carry out terrorist operations and other acts harmful to national security." they further said. The move is likely to hit telecom firms which are already going through a tough time. Shares in Mobily and Zain have went down. The kingdom's largets network, Saudi Telecom Company slashed a portion of its profits. The move will also likely raise the ire of consumers since it is the latest in a string of decisions in which consumers have been forced to wait in long lines just to verify their information and submit their fingerprint. A few months back, mobile service providers have also scaled-back their unlimited internet plans, thereby raising internet costs to consumers. This happened even as increasing number of data-sim users are complaining of slow internet speeds due to network congestion.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWm3yYoYo1Ha_0HhqgrrrzOZdiWMxU2slboF-42mrMpfNw8kk5sHXYvz80xmK2EF_ycL5Z-9JAwR6LV9Kd5dYHq_aPNCqBhXKREJTmaQ6RtnMaOU7pdp0pSK8V5ckFfR6AEzGk/s640/sim.png)
![In the latest news about Filipino Workers on Death Row in Saudi Arabia, Regour de Padua, 39, a driver in Jeddah who was sentenced to death by beheading received some sort of reprieve when the Summary Court (Trial Court) in Jeddah decided to send de Padua to a second psychiatric checkup before passing its sentence. In November 2008, “Reno” stole a 55-seater bus from the premises of Saudia catering in the Khalidiya District. He drove wildly for two hours, hitting cars everywhere he went. Investigations showed that De Padua was not himself the day before after receiving a letter from his fiancee. He knocked on the door of his colleague at work in the early hours of the next day, holding a hammer in his hand, but his colleague shut the door. De Padua went outside and broke the glass of his boss’ car, and then stole the bus with up to twelve passengers still on board. He was reported to be shouting "If no Filipino speaks to me now, I’m going to crash the bus!" The passengers pleaded with him to stop, which he briefly did, giving the 12 enough time to jump from the windows. Three were injured in their falls, one requiring hospital attention. De Padua proceeded toward the Haramain Highway he was spotted by police, but he ignored their warnings for him to stop and a 120 kmph-pursuit into oncoming traffic ensued in which at least 18 vehicles were hit. The speeding collided with a Toyota Corolla, killing the Saudi family and a Bangladesh expat. After about a year of deliberations, the court decided to send the accused to Shihar hospital, a mental hospital in Taif, to have a second psychiatric checkup. This is after the lawyers of the defendant, appointed by the Philippine Embassy, presented new medical reports which said the accused was suffering from a mental and psychological illness. The medical report says that he began to show signs of changes in behavior after receiving a letter from his fiancee informing him of her desire to end their relationship. It said de Padua has been refusing food and failing to cooperate with doctors, leading them to resort to force-feeding him via a tube inserted in his nose. The attorney general and the families of the deceased continued to demand capital punishment for the culprit. Mohammed Ayed Al-Qarni, a 70-year-old Saudi citizen, lost his wife, son and daughter in the accident. He said he is anxiously waiting for the death penalty for the driver. He hoped that he would live until he saw the driver executed. A former circuit court called for the execution of the driver for carelessly killing Saad Mohammed Ayed Al-Qarni, his sister Salmah and his mother Ayedah Awad Al-Omari in addition to Waheed Daud Miyah, a Bangladeshi national. The circuit court also ruled that the driver pay the blood money of SR250,000 to the families of the victims. The Court of Appeals rejected the verdict based on medical reports which said the driver was mentally ill. It sent the case back to the Summary Court. In 2016, Saudi Arabia executed a total of 153 prisoners from breaking Strict Sharia laws. Saudi courts appear to recognize that under limited circumstances, a person who does not have mental awareness of the consequences of his acts is not criminally responsible beyond payment of compensation. Those who are aware of the bad consequences of their acts but unable to control their behavior due to insanity might not be excepted from mandatory punishments but can be excepted from discretionary punishments. Those who are insane but could be argued to have the ability to control their actions might not be excused from capital punishment. The extent to which an individual’s judgment is compromised by his mental illness is a question that is left to the courts to determine, and not all individuals with mental illnesses are excluded from the death penalty.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiql7KLWkLhAFnOYHo9qNXJpvT68vtnRn9Ioe4UZQBj4loPNbNohM347B_BNTVU8IemqymCmkZAKP8DawwLO62YRzgaPH5vs9NS4cs2EJ7l1a-0eadtcRb3S3sXg97pDlOOlk3F/s640/banner.png)
Saudi Arabia - All Expats/OFWs in Government Jobs Will Be Terminated By 2020
![A shocking news was published recently in the newspaper Saudi Gazette, one which can have huge implications for the thousands of OFWs working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Apparently, there is a plan to remove all expatriate workers from government departments within three years is in the works. Believed to be one of the initiatives of the National Transformation Program 2020, the plan directs the Ministry of Civil Service to ask all ministries and government departments to replace all expatriate workers by the end of 2020. The move was apparently announced in a meeting last May 8, which was attended by senior officials from ministry and HR experts from different ministries, departments, universities and other public sector. The meeting, which focused on the initiative of Saudization plan by 2020, was said to be followed by a workshop titled "Job nationalization." The announcement was made public by deputy minister Abdullah Al-Melfi. Melfi further said “The complete nationalization of government jobs is an important objective of the National Transformation Program 2020 and the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.” It was said that there were 70,000 expats in the public sector at the end of last year. As for the number of OFWs, it is unknown so far as no solid statistics in available. Also unclear is the scope of the plan to remove expats. In the civil sector, the government employs thousands of expats across a broad range of industries, from ministry offices to industrial plants and utilities to universities and medical hospitals. Add to complication is the number of expats working in government but are actually employed privately and were only supplied to government institutions - like cleaners, clerks, medical staff, technicians, maintenance and so on. Currently, there are no clear plans laid out on how the Saudi government will implement this part of their plan, apart from the National Transformation Program 2020, which you can see here. What is clear is that Saudi Arabia is in a midst of an epic transformation which started with the crash of oil prices a few years ago. Guided by the program Vision 2030, the kingdom aims to change its course, focusing on developing its economy to be less dependent on its once vast oil reserves and the huge oil revenue it brings in annually. Expats have seen a lot of changes directly affecting their lives - from increased costs of gasoline, electricity and water, to new or increased levies imposed on expats and their dependents. News of expat taxes and remittance taxes also abound. But of all the news coming from the Saudi government, this one is sure to spell the end for thousands of OFWs in KSA.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aSlBtBnBTGGWcHvNC9PHPIhcokrRl9xTheHhAfhF5CKxl8tyoafY4PG3n4j8H4erb50fkH6enZy1_xeYbEEYBWXdoX-Uc0XrCea9iV8cB1mGR6_MWQGmE1lp5AGP1eAtlkau/s640/banner.png)
OFWs In Saudi Arabia Are Now Limited To Having Only Two SIM Cards
![Saudi Arabia has imposed limits on the number of prepaid SIM cards registered for citizens and foreigners, restrictions that the regulator said aim to prevent the use of cards in carrying out militant attacks in the kingdom. This move also comes after a massive nationwide campaign of sim card verification by linking each sim card to the fingerprint of its owner. Millions of foreign residents, including the hundreds of thousands of OFWs, are now limited to two prepaid SIM cards across all operators. The limit applies to both voice (call) and data (internet) lines in a country where a majority of expats rely on data SIMs for Internet. Saudis are restricted to a more generous amount of 10 prepaid SIM cards. Expats who have more than two sim cards which are already verified, will not be affected and will be allowed to keep their existing sim cards. They will not however be able to buy and register a new sim card in their name, until the authorities lift the limits. “This is considered a temporary procedure to correct and remedy the large number of illegal SIM cards in the market,” the Communications and Information Technology Commission, Saudi Arabia’s telecommunications regulator, said in a statement. "Illegal SIM cards have been used to carry out terrorist operations and other acts harmful to national security." they further said. The move is likely to hit telecom firms which are already going through a tough time. Shares in Mobily and Zain have went down. The kingdom's largets network, Saudi Telecom Company slashed a portion of its profits. The move will also likely raise the ire of consumers since it is the latest in a string of decisions in which consumers have been forced to wait in long lines just to verify their information and submit their fingerprint. A few months back, mobile service providers have also scaled-back their unlimited internet plans, thereby raising internet costs to consumers. This happened even as increasing number of data-sim users are complaining of slow internet speeds due to network congestion.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWm3yYoYo1Ha_0HhqgrrrzOZdiWMxU2slboF-42mrMpfNw8kk5sHXYvz80xmK2EF_ycL5Z-9JAwR6LV9Kd5dYHq_aPNCqBhXKREJTmaQ6RtnMaOU7pdp0pSK8V5ckFfR6AEzGk/s640/sim.png)
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