OWWA-11 releases P4.2-M cash aid to displaced OFWs

FILE: Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac and OWWA officers welcome distressed Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who were repatriated from Kuwait through Philippine Airlines (PR) 669 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 in Pasay City on Monday morning. (Feb. 12, 2018). (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)

MANILA – Over 400 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Davao Region were able to avail of the cash aid from the government amounting to more than PHP4 million, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) reported on Friday.

In a statement, the OWWA Regional Office 11 (Davao Region) said as of Thursday, it has released a total of PHP4.2 million cash assistance to 420 out of 550 approved and qualified beneficiaries of the DOLE-Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (AKAP) program.

As of Thursday, the OWWA Davao Region has received a total of 3,463 applications since its launch on April 13.

“After a thorough assessment and evaluation of the submitted documents, 550 applications have been approved and endorsed to DOLE 11 for the disbursement of the financial assistance. A total of PHP8.9 million is allotted for Region 11 from the DOLE Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP),” it said.

It added that the remaining beneficiaries are expected to be able to claim the same assistance through M Lhuillier cash remittance service.

The DOLE-AKAP for OFWs is a one-time cash assistance worth PHP10,000 intended for displaced land-based and sea-based (regular/undocumented) workers, returning workers (Balik Manggagawa) to their jobsites but were stranded in the Philippines.

Also qualified under the program are undocumented OFWs who have experienced job displacement due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Qualified applicants may log in to dole-akap.owwa.gov.ph and submit their application form and required documents online. More details of the program are available at owwa.gov.ph.

At present, OWWA 11 evaluators are still processing the applications for endorsement to DOLE.

Approved OFW applicants will be notified and may claim the cash assistance at any M Lhuillier branch.

“As of April 23, 2020, many OFWs have claimed their financial assistance. They sincerely extend their gratitude to DOLE and OWWA through the agencies’ hotline numbers, email accounts and Facebook page. According to them, the cash assistance they received would greatly help their families in sustaining their needs amidst COVID 19 pandemic,” it added.