Repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Afghanistan will receive assistance in the form of financial aid and scholarships, according to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
Hans Cacdac, OWWA Administrator, said Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello has directed the agency to extend all “necessary assistance” to OFWs coming home from Afghanistan.
“The benefits revolve around financial assistance, livelihood and scholarship for those with collegiate dependents,” Cacdac said.
The displaced OFWs will receive PHP10,000 financial aid while those with college dependents can get PHP30,000 scholarship grant and the livelihood assistance amounting to PHP20,000 is also available for returning active OWWA members and P10,000 for non-active members.
The assistance ranging from P100,000 to P1 million will also be made available to OFWs intending to venture into business.
Cacdac said the first batch of 35 OFWs who returned from Afghanistan are now under quarantine and about a hundred more are expected to be repatriated from Afghanistan.
“We are closely coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in the repatriation of OFWs from Afghanistan because we don’t have a labor office there,” he said.
