The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the Labor Department over P22.43 million cash assistance still in remittance centers including those intended for DOLE-AKAP beneficiaries or displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
The breakdown for the unclaimed cash assistance are the following:
P8.24 million – COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) for local workers
P9.05 million – DOLE’s Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (DOLE-AKAP) for displaced overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)
P5.15 million Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) or the emergency employment programs.
The funds came from the Bayanihan Law 1.
Given this breakdown, this means that some 900 OFWs, 1,600 local workers did not receive their cash assistance.
COA also said that DOLE should continue informing the beneficiaries of the unclaimed assistance. The agency adds that if the aid could no longer be claimed then DOLE should demand for refund from remittance centers.
DOLE said that some beneficiaries failed to receive the text messages on their cash assistance.
Some beneficiaries changed their phone numbers or used a different number when they applied for the aid.
