Migrant workers affected and displaced by the pandemic received financial aid from the city government as part of its assistance program to distressed workers.

On Tuesday, seven overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from this city were recipients of PHP10,000 cash assistance to help them cushion the impact of the pandemic.

Aida Labina, head of the city human resources management office on OFW concerns head, personally led the distribution of financial aid to OFWs Nelba Desabille, Nereza Garcia, Roger Agiaman, Cherry Lyn Yson, Daylin Havana, Nelma Rellon, and Evelyn Cumahig.

“The families of these OFWs have also earlier sought the help of Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista to help them bring back home their loved ones stranded overseas due to the pandemic,” she said.

Upon Evangelista’s instructions, the city government facilitated their return with the help of concerned government agencies working for the welfare of OFWs.

They came home one at a time during the first half of this year.

Labina said aside from the pandemic, many OFWs were also trapped due to armed hostilities in their workplaces in the Middle East, having to deal with abusive employers, health issues, and non-payment of their wages, among others.

Former OFW Rellon, 36, a resident of Barangay Balindog who worked in Kuwait, complained of health issues after having to deal with various employers and delays in releases of salaries.

Yson, 30, of Barangay Singao who worked in Lebanon, recalled the hardship of working in an environment of war.

She was worried about her safety since explosions occur now and then in the community where she worked.

Agiaman worked as a waiter in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 2019 until the pandemic set in.

He was dislodged from work and was forced to sell blood to survive and able to send money back home.

The migrant workers have lauded the city government for the monetary assistance. (PNA)