DOLE ready to assist OFWs affected by Qatar, Kuwait travel ban

“We will provide for their transportations expenses, their meals and little financial assistance,” Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in a media interview on Wednesday. (PIA file photo)

MANILA – The government will extend assistance to the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the ban imposed by the governments of Qatar and Kuwait on the entry of people from other countries which include the Philippines due to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak.

“We will provide for their transportations expenses, their meals and little financial assistance,” Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in a media interview on Wednesday.

He said PHP5,000, including transportation expenses, will be given to the affected OFWs.

Bello said he is hoping that the travel ban will be lifted soon to prevent negative impact on the OFWs.

“Not for the moment but if becomes prolonged malaking bagay ‘yan.

Baka naman temporary lang. After one week or two weeks lift na (it will have impact. I hope it will be temporary only. After one week or two weeks lifted already),” Bello said.

“Ang sabi kasi ng (According to) Qatar and Kuwait temporary. In fact, ang Kuwait seven days… good if after seven days they would lift pero (but) what is clear temporary banning lang ‘yun (only),” he added.

70 OFs recover from Covid-19

Meanwhile, the DOLE reported that 70 out of the 103 overseas Filipinos (OFs) in eight countries that were infected by coronavirus have already recovered.

Based on the document provided by Bello, 69 of the 80 Filipinos affected by the deadly virus in Japan have recovered while one of the five cases in Hong Kong has recovered also.

The other countries where there are cases of Filipinos infected by the deadly virus are: United States with six, Qatar (four), Singapore (three), United Arab Emirates (two), Lebanon (one), and Switzerland (one).