Duterte approves additional P5B for displaced OFWs

Updated Mon, August 10, 2020 at 11:23 PM Published Sun, August 9, 2020 at 3:59 PM

President Rodrigo Duterte approved an additional PHP5 billion to aid displaced Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will allocate the funds to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) for repatriation efforts.

OWWA's assistance covers costs for COVID-19 tests, accommodation, and transportation for returning OFWs.

This supplemental budget comes after the DOLE's initial P2.5-billion emergency fund, the Abot Kamay Ang Pagtulong (AKAP), was nearly depleted, having disbursed approximately P2.388 billion to over 233,000 OFW beneficiaries as of August 8.

Senator Joel Villanueva welcomed the additional funding, expressing hope that it would enable the DOLE to continue providing the P10,000 cash grant to repatriated OFWs.

The government can continue helping stranded OFWs return home with the additional P5-billion funding for DOLE.

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