Filipino repatriates from Libya to receive P10K from the government

The 65 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) repatriated from Libya arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport NAIA on Monday (June 23, 2014) in Pasay City. (PNA photos by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA — Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) that were repatriated from Libya will be given P10,000 cash assistance starting next week under the Financial Relief Assistance Program (FRAP) of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

In a statement, Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, also chairman of the 12-member OWWA Board of Trustees, said that the board has approved Resolution No. 7 Series of 2014, or the “Guidelines on Authorizing the Grant of P10,000 Financial Relief Assistance to OFWs Covered by the Mandatory Repatriation.”

“We know that our OFW repatriates from Libya have been displaced from their jobs and have been deprived of regular income because of their abrupt return. The OWWA Board of Trustees has approved the FRAP as one of the means to provide them immediate financial relief,” she said.

Under the resolution, displaced OFWs who were repatriated starting July 20, 2014 onwards shall be granted the financial aid, following the announcement by the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Alert Level 4 status in Libya which calls for mandatory repatriation.

Baldoz noted that P10,000 financial relief assistance will be provided to OWWA and non-OWWA members, to lessen the impact of the workers’ repatriation to the current socio-economic condition.

“The financial relief assistance of P10,000 is a one-time grant to each qualified displaced OFW, whether a member of the OWWA or not, to help them adjust to their their communities. The grant is part of the government’s repatriation assistance program which aims to cushion the impact of employment and income displacement affecting OFWs upon their repatriation to the country,” she explained.

The resolution also provides that FRAP amounts released to non-OWWA members shall be reimbursed from the DOLE Emergency Repatriation Fund, subject to existing accounting rules and regulations.

With this, Baldoz had instructed the OWWA to immediately put a system so that they can release the financial relief assistance to qualified repatriates through the OWWA regional offices starting next week.

Meanwhile, the DOLE chief reported that the government has chartered a ship that will transport OFWs from Libya to Malta.

Baldoz, citing an update report of Welfare Officer Cynthia Lamban, said the contract for the ship’s charter was initially signed in Malta on Thursday by a representative of the Philippine government and Alex Polidano of Ocean Marine Services Ltd.

“The signing of the final contract for the charter of the M/S Bridge will sail for Benghazi to load OFW repatriate-passengers, then sail to Misrata to do the same before sailing back to Malta. The repatriation by ship is expected to be completed on 12 August,” she said.

Hundreds of OFWs have been flown back to the Philippines while thousands are waiting to be repatriated as the political situation in Libya worsens.