The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) released over PHP1 million in grants and financial assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Antique province on Wednesday.

The assistance benefited two OFW organizations and 34 distressed and displaced OFWs.

“Two OFW organizations in San Remigio and Culasi are recipients of a PHP1 million grant each under the Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay program,” Lea Aguirre, OWWA Regional Office 6 officer-in-charge of the Programs and Services Division, said in an interview.

She said OWWA releases the PHP1 million grant in three tranches. The San Remigio OFW Association already received the second tranche of PHP500,000 and the first tranche amounting to PHP200,000.

The Sagip OFW Association of Culasi, on the other hand, received PHP200,000, representing the first tranche of the assistance.

“The San Remigio OFW Association is venturing into a poultry project. They used the first tranche to put up the facility and the second tranche for the procurement of the chicken layers,” Aguirre said.

The Sagip OFW Association is into rice trading by buying the harvest of its members who are now back for good in the province and farming.

Meanwhile, the 34 displaced or distressed OFWs were released with financial assistance ranging from PHP10,000 to PHP5,000 each, or for their scholarships.

“The province of Antique has around 500,000 OFWs, a combination of retired and active workers,” Aguirre said.

The retired OFWs are those who have already come home for good, while the active are those still working abroad.

Aguirre further said they will also visit the OFW associations in Tibiao and Libertad on Thursday to assist them in coming up with their business improvement plans to avail of the grants. (PNA)