LEGAZPI CITY, June 26 (PIA)—At least 2,645 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Bicol have received their financial assistance worth P10,000 under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-AKAP for OFWs program.
The DOLE-AKAP for OFWs through the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) provides cash aid to the affected land-based and sea-based OFWs due to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Rowena Alzaga, OWWA Bicol information officer, said there were a total of 3,290 approved applications under the DOLE-AKAP for OFWs in Bicol. However, the fund for the remaining 645 beneficiaries still awaits funding from DOLE.
“We are asking for the understanding of OFWs who hasn’t receive a call yet since we need to ask for the additional budget from DOLE. It doesn’t mean that we are closing the program. We are just waiting for the budget to be downloaded,” she explained.
She added that they will call immediately those qualified and approved beneficiaries of DOLE-AKAP for OFWs once the fund was available in the region.
Moreover, Alzaga reiterated that only those OFWs who lost their income during the COVID-19 pandemic and are already in the Philippines can avail the financial grant. Particularly, it covers those stranded and repatriated OFWs in the country.
Alzaga also asserted that the OFWs abroad need not to worry since they can avail the same amount of financial assistance from their host country or job site.
“OWWA posted in its website and Facebook account the hotline numbers of Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in different countries. They can contact POLO to guide them in availing the financial aid,” she said.
On the other hand, Alzaga affirmed they are preparing some programs under the “new normal” conditions.
“Right now, we cannot offer our livelihood program since some of its components require trainings and activities with gathering of people. We all know that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot conduct this kind of activities to ensure the safety of all,” she stated.
Alzaga said they will be adjusting their line of programs so they can deliver it to their clients corresponding to the new normal guidelines. (PIA5/CEB/OWWA Bicol)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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