The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said Friday that it would need Php7.5 billion to ensure the repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) until the end of the year.
OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac said that the funds were only enough till mid-September.
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OWWA was earlier given Php5.2 billion in additional funds.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has written to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in July to request the additional budget.
READ ON: Php5-billion fund for OWWA’s repatriation program only good until September
Nearly 70% of the requested money would be used to pay for the accommodation, food, and transport of OFWs from September 16 to December 31 and Php7.5-billion would be needed for 2,000 OFWs arriving per day until the end of the year.
Cacdac said that since the quarantine period became longer at 14 days for returning OFWs of countries such as the UAE (United Arab Emirates), Oman, India, that is “why we are asking for fund augmentation.”
The COVID-19 Delta variant is cited as the cause for the longer quarantine period. (AW)
