Pinoy in Saudi seeks help for baby’s hospital bills

RIYADH – A Filipino worker here made an appeal to the Filipino community in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to help him and his wife pay the ballooning hospital bills of his newborn son.

“I am appealing to everybody to help us. We do not know where to get the money to pay our hospital bills," said Rolly Bautista, who works as dental technician for Faisal & Partners Co. for Medical Services.

As of last November 1, he added, their hospital bill had already reached 66,000 Saudi Riyals.

Bautista said the couple’s ordeal begun when their son, who was born premature on October 7 in a private hospital in Riyadh, was diagnosed to be suffering from respiratory distress syndrome. His son was incubated in the Neo Intensive Care Unit for almost a month.

When the Bautista couple’s bill reached 56,000 Saudi Riyals, he said the billing section’s accountant became very rude, pressuring him to produce the said amount and to sign a document discharging his son into his full responsibility, even though the baby needed further medical attention.

Bautista added that the hospital is threatening to take his son away if he does not pay the bill immediately.

“I am only a technician and my salary is not enough to pay for the cost of the treatment. My family does not have medical insurance," said Bautista, who hails from San Roque in Guagua, Pampanga.

Vice Consul Russel Reyes, assistant head of the Philippine Embassy’s Assistance to the National Section said Bautista had sought assistance a week after his son was born.

He said Bautista also asked the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) staff in Riyadh to help the family.

“We sent our staff immediately to the hospital to act as guarantor for the Bautista family but they refused. So we informed the head office at Manila and we are awaiting their instruction. I’m sure they are doing their best to find a way to help Mr. Bautista," Reyes said.

The vice consul added that OWWA is currently making representations with the governor’s office. “We assured Mr. Bautista that we will try our best to find a way to help them," Reyes said.

The Bautistas are thankful that their son is now recovering and can be brought home anytime, but could not be released until the bill is paid.
For those who want to help Rolly Bautista, he can be reached at his mobile number 00966-501508779 or 00966-501365597, or you can deposit any amount of assistance to his bank account in Riyadh bank (no. 2352410649940).