The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has extended more than PHP3.2 million worth of financial assistance to repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the Middle East in the continuing effort to assist the sector affected by the geopolitical crisis.
In a report Thursday, Assistant Secretary Ada Colico of the DSWD Protective Programs said the department has served 3,260 OFWs affected by the crisis as of April 23.
These included 609 repatriated OFWs who received a total of PHP3.209 million to start anew in their home provinces.
“In line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the DSWD extended psychosocial first aid (PFA), financial assistance, livelihood assistance, and medical aid to help returning OFWs. The efforts were part of the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) framework that directs all agencies to ensure a whole-of-government response to support all sectors affected by the Middle East crisis,” she said.
For the provision of PFA, a total of 2,851 repatriated OFWs who sought government assistance to facilitate their return to the Philippines were served by the DSWD.
Additionally, 409 OFWs stranded at airports due to travel restrictions from the ongoing Middle East crisis also received PFA from social workers.
The DSWD also extended livelihood assistance to the repatriated OFWs who signified their interest under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).
“For livelihood assistance, a repatriated OFW from Ilocos Region and four repatriated OFWs from Central Luzon received PHP20,000 each from the SLP. The DSWD Central Office, on the other hand, extended medical assistance worth PHP300,000 to one OFW in crisis,” Colico reported.
The DSWD official added that the agency remains in close coordination with other concerned government agencies as repatriation missions are still ongoing.
“The DSWD is prepared to extend immediate assistance and referrals to appropriate reintegration services from other agencies as part of the whole-of-government strategy. We remain in close coordination with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to ensure a smooth, safe, and dignified reintegration process for all our OFW kababayans returning from the Middle East,” Colico assured. (PNA)
