Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III reiterated to Philippine Overseas Labor Offices regarding the instruction from higher authorities to provide food, medicine, and accommodation for OFWs who are in need and have been affected by the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Secretary Bello responded to OFW leaders around the globe during a recent Zoom meeting on allegations that some recruitment agencies haven’t been providing food for OFWs for over one month already.
“Hindi dapat mangyari yan. There is strict instruction that we (DOLE, POLO offices) provide all our OFWs food and medicine and accommodation. Hindi pupuwede yan,” said Bello during the online meeting.
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The DOLE Secretary then mentioned the case of a welfare officer who was sent home due to allegations on misbehaviour, stating that government workers should prioritize serving OFWs, especially during this time.
“Kung meron diyang hindi nagbibigay, maalala niyo yung meron kaming welfare officer na minumura yung OFW, in 24 hours pinauwi ko iyon. Walang karapatan ang aming mga employees dyan sa POLO na magmura o hindi mag-alaga ng mga OFW. We will not allow that. They are there to serve our OFWs. And if they cannot serve our OFWs, they have no business staying there,” said Secretary Bello.
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To date, DOLE has reported providing cash assistance through the DOLE-AKAP program for more than 130,000 OFWs both overseas as well as those who are currently stranded in the Philippines.
With President Duterte’s allocation of an additional Php1 billion, is still expected to provide cash assistance to 120,000 more OFWs to receive Php10,000 each, for a total of Php2.5 billion allotment for the DOLE-AKAP program.
