MANILA: A one-time cash relief assistance is being offered to OFWs and their families who were affected by supertyphoon Lawin, which hit the Philippines last week.
Covered by the Cash Relief Assistance Program being offered by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) are OFW members and their families who reside in areas put under Storm Signal No. 5 during Lawin’s onslaught, reported GMA News.
These include cities and municipalities in Cagayan, Isabela, Kalinga, Apayao, Northern Abra and Ilocos Norte.
OWWA reportedly said it will begin releasing the financial assistance “at the soonest possible time.”
“The financial grant is in line with President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s instructions to Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello lll to immediately extend assistance to OFWs and their families who experienced the wrath of typhoon Lawin,” OWWA was quoted as saying.
The agency has allocated P30 million for the program. Under it, a cash assistance of P3,000 per OFW-family shall be extended to active OWWA members, while non-active members are eligible to receive P2,000, said the news portal.
“In the event that there is more than one OFW in a family, only one OFW member is entitled to receive the monetary assistance,” OWWA reportedly said.
The OWWA said claimants may apply through OWWA Regional Welfare Offices.
OWWA administrator Hans Leo Cacdac has reportedly instructed all OWWA implementing units in the affected regions to facilitate the release of the OFWs’ and their families’ CARE based on the guidelines prepared for this purpose.
“We wish to assure the OFW/family claimants that once they are able to submit complete documentary requirements, OWWA will immediately release their money even in one day,” Cacdac was quoted as saying by GMA News. “This way, they can use the money to fix their houses or in a way help them.”
