The Kingdom's embassy in the Philippines has set up a security team to provide advice and guidance to Saudi citizens in that country on safe ways to do business and go on holiday. The information provided includes suitable places to live, ways to purchase goods and services and the laws and regulations of the country. Citizens are also warned against going into dangerous areas. A member of the security team, Muhammad Al-Harbi, said this team is the first of its kind at an embassy abroad. The order to set up the team has come from the government. Al-Harbi added that many citizens have also called for a security team to be formed to help them with problems in the Philippines. Al-Harbi said the embassy receives many complaints from citizens and these can be dealt with quickly if it is reported early. However, there are complaints that cannot be solved speedily because citizens delay filing complaints at the embassy. “Many citizens who are in trouble are hesitant to communicate with the embassy either because of their ignorance about the capability of the embassy to help them or because they are afraid to report personal matters.” Al-Harbi said the embassy does not interfere in the private affairs of the citizens, but the purpose is to help them deal with their problems before they become worse. He said the number of complaints has dropped since the team was formed because citizens now get information easily. Dr. Saleh Al-Dabl, a member of the teaching staff at King Fahd Security College, said the security team at the Saudi embassy in the Philippines is a new method for dealing with individual cases as they happen. Al-Dabl said that many Saudi youths have fallen prey to “cheating and deception” while others have done wrong themselves. There is, therefore, a need to educate visitors, he said. Al-Dabl said this type of system should be implemented at other embassies abroad and should be staffed by qualified Saudis.
