TACLOBAN CITY, Sept. 15 (PIA) -- The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in Region 8 (OWWA-8) continues its efforts in ensuring the safety of Overseas Filipino Workers or OFWs in the region, particularly against Covid-19.
This was disclosed by OWWA 8 Regional Director Sergio Borgueta Jr. during the “Suruswerte ha PIA” radio program hosted by Philippine Information Agency Regional Director Olive Tiu.
According to Borgueta, while the repatriation of OFWs still continue, the office remains committed to ensure the welfare of these returning OFWs, starting from their places of origin, until they arrive home and be integrated with their families.
“We see to it that our OFWs can safely arrive home while being protected against Covid-19. When they have started coming home due to the pandemic, when most of them have been displaced or have lost their jobs, we have always been there together with the Department of Health and the Bureau of Quarantine, to facilitate their arrival, their trips and their health needs,” Borgueta said.
He added, “The Philippine Red Cross has also been there for their RT-PCR Tests, and they provided them accommodation for at least five days pending result of their tests, and immediately send them to their respective LGUs once tested negative of the virus."
It was also learned from Borgueta that in the region, there were already some 6,548 returning OFWs recorded since May 25 until September 7 of 2020, whom they have fetched and have entrusted to their respective LGUS.
For a well-coordinated handling of these OFWs, the airlines furnish CAAP and OWWA with a manifesto of passengers, for OWWA to inform the LGUs concerned, so as to arrange for their trips going to their respective hometowns.
At the local level, Borgueta said these overseas workers are then mandated to undergo a 14-day quarantine at their local isolation facilities and will also undergo a re-swab, before allowed to go home to their families, to ensure everybody’s safety. Home isolation is never allowed.
Per record, Borgueta said that of the total 6,548 OFWs who arrived since May 25 until Sept. 7, only 76 of them or 1.16 percent have tested positive of Covid-19. Most of them have either mild symptoms or asymptomatic at all. Nobody has been brought to hospital.
It was also learned during the interview that aside from facilitating the return of OFWs, OWWA has also offered the DOLE-AKAP for OFWs Program for these displaced overseas workers.
“We have this one-time financial assistance of P10,000 for those displaced or terminated OFWs due to health crisis, the director said, adding that this could be availed through online application by visiting and registering at akap.gov.ph website, with passport, ticket boarding pass and proof of OWWA membership as documentary requirements,” he said.
However, he clarified that only those who can prove that their employment was terminated due to the pandemic and not due to end of contract, are eligible for the financial assistance.
In Region 8, the OWWA official said there is a total of 6,153 applicants for the program as of September 7, 2020, and 4,000 were already approved, while some 1,874 applicants have already received the financial assistance. He added that some of them are already scheduled for release, while the rest will have to wait until October or November, pending download of the fund. The release of the financial subsidy is through MLhullier Money Transfer, according to Borgueta.
Further, Director Borgueta informed that OWWA has also its Educational Assistance through Scholarship in Emergencies, a scholarship grant for the child of a displaced OFW who is in the college level, with P10,000 financial assistance yearly for a period of four years. This will be given directly to the beneficiary. However, only one scholar is entitled for each OFW. For the case of an unmarried OFWs, he can have his sibling who is also single, as his beneficiary. Application is now open via online, with some documentary requirements.
For the scholarship program, Borgueta said that only 203 slots were given to the Eastern Visayas region. Interested individuals may visit s.owwa.gov.ph for application and specific details. (ldl/gtt/PIA-Leyte)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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