Overseas Workers Welfare Administration or OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac said that the labor department requested an additional P9.8 billion budget to augment its current repatriation fund.
Cacdac said that they have projected that the P6.2-billion 2021 budget for the hotel, transportation, and food expenses of returning OFWS will only last until April or May.
“Secretary Bello wrote to Secretary Avisado as a preemptive measure to receive supplemental funding from the national government,” Cacdac said.
“That’s for the remainder of the year, so P9.8 billion. That is subject to the condition that the same conditions prevail,” he added.
Returning OFWs are subjected to andatory quarantine and testing on the 5th day, except if they are showing symptoms upon arrival based on the IATF protocols.
Cacdac said that some the extended quarantine among returning OFWs means the fund for repatriations gets depleted easily.
OWWA reports that around 10,000 OFWs are staying in quarantine facilities. Around 80,000 to 100,000 more OFWs expected to come home this year. (TDT)
