The Philippines’ Department of Labor and Employment has forecast that around 1,005,031 overseas Filipino workers will lose their jobs as an effect of the impact of the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
DOLE International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB) Director Alice Visperas shared to the House Committee on Overseas Workers’ Affairs (OWA) that 60% of this number (603,019) represent land-based OFWs while the remaining 40% are sea-based OFWs.
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As of May 2020, numbers are already at 323,537 with majority of repatriates coming from the Middle East at 238,362.
DOLE-ILAB projects a gradual rise in numbers of OFWs headed back to the Philippines from 609,317 by December, 2020; 846,429 by June 2021; and 1,005,031 by December 2021.
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Visperas also revealed to the House that around 204,209 OFWs have already received financial aid from the DOLE-Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (DOLE-AKAP) program where each OFW has received a one-time cash assistance amounting to Php10,000. Of this number 177,117 are land-based while 27,092 sea-based OFW beneficiaries.
