March 29, 2024

BANGUED, Abra – The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration-Cordillera awarded financial benefits to eligible Overseas Filipino Workers and their dependents under its various programs.

National Reintegration Center for Overseas Filipino Workers Director Gerald Tan together with OWWA-Cordillera Regional Director Luzviminda Tumaliuan and Board Member Rodolfo Dela Paz led the turnover of benefits.

The beneficiaries are 50 individuals and an organization including three for death and insurance benefits under the Insurance Claim Fund at P120,000 each.

There are 32 student scholars under the OFW Dependents Scholarship Program who were awarded an amount ranging from P10,000 to P20,000 each; P120,000 for an OFW for insurance benefit and bereavement under the Welfare Assistance Program; P10,000 relief assistance for a Ukraine repatriate;  and P15,000 for a student-DOST qualifier under the Congressional Migrant Workers Scholarship Program.

An OFW received P10,000 livelihood assistance under the NRCO-Livelihood Development Assistance Program while another received P10,000 under the NRCO-Balik Pinay! Balik Hanapbuhay and 11 OFWs received an amount ranging from P10,000 to P20,000 under the Balik Pinas Balik Hanapbuhay program.

OWWA officials also turned over to the Pacpaca OFW Organization based in Barangay Pacpaca in Luba a check worth P80,000 under the Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Pag-unlad ng Samahang OFWs or Tulong PUSO livelihood grant. This represents the first tranche of the organization’s piggery livelihood project amounting to P400,000.

Tulong PUSO Program is a one-time financial grant implemented to encourage OFWs to form their own groups or organizations and to venture into business activities.

Tan reiterated the importance of education among the OFW student dependents so that after finishing their studies, they could find sustainable and good paying jobs to break the cycle of poverty in the family.

With the Filipino tradition of  helping uplift the family’s way of living, it would be their turn to help or take the place of relatives abroad so they could come back home for good, he suggested as a mindset for OFW children.

Tan shared how he witnessed OFWs who sacrifice with all the challenges and the difficulties they bear and go through while working abroad leaving their family behind.

Tumaliuan, meanwhile, reminded the OFWs to pay their regular dues every two years as this is where the benefits are derived from.

Dela Paz, who delivered the message of Gov. Joy Bernos, expressed support to the programs of the OFWs that will continue on with the new administration under the leadership of Governor-elect Dominic Valera. – Susan C. Aro