The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is hopeful that the passage of the Bayanihan 3 into law will bring more funds for the agency’s financial aid for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs)
OWWA chief Hans Leo Cacdac said OWWA’s hopes were revived after learning that House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco is working towards the approval of “Bayanihan to Arise As One Act,” also known as Bayanihan 3.
“Speaker Velasco said Bayanihan 3 is being prepared so we look forward to that to replenish our AKAP funds,” Cacdac said at the Laging Handa briefing.
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Previously, Velasco said that the Department of Finance assured efforts are being made to identify funding sources for the PHP420-billion pandemic stimulus bill.
Bayanihan 3 seeks to help displaced workers and acquire vaccines, as well as low-income individuals. The dole out will also include allowances for public school teachers and students under K-12 and tertiary level.
Meanwhile, Cacdac said that around 450,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have benefited from the Abot Kamay Ang Pagtulong (AKAP) Program.
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“We’re almost complete. We are down to our last 5,000, I think,” he said.
Covered by the program are OFWs on site and those displaced or repatriated due to the pandemic. Those eligible beneficiaries will be given a one-time financial aid of PHP10,000 or USD200.
Cacdac said close to 10,000 dependents of OFWs also received PHP30,000 under the Tabang OFW program, which covers collegiate level dependents of temporarily or permanently displaced OFWs.
He added that close to 490,000 OFWs were transported back to their home provinces in May 2020. (RA)
