The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration needs P7.5 billion for the repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) displaced by the Covid-19 pandemic.
OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said Labor Sec. Silvestre Bello III has requested for the amount to be used for the repatriation of OFWs for September until December.
“Our good Secretary Bello has requested for an additional of P7.5B, which will be used for the remainder of the year,” he said in a virtual forum.
The OWWA chief added that the P5.2B, which was given in June for the repatriation program will be good until next month.
“The P5.2B released last June, is still good until September,” he said.
Cacdac reported there are 7,500 OFWs in 175 hotel quarantine facilities in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces.
As of Aug. 13, a total of 646,912 OFWs have been sent to their home provinces since the government started bringing them back to the country in May last year.
He added the P7.5B will be for food, transport, and hotel expenses, which comprised 70 percent of the budget.
The budget will cover the expenses from Sept. 16 to Dec. 31. – PNA
April 25, 2024
