POLO Hong Kong temporarily suspends cash aid application

In Advisory 07A-2020, Labor Attaché Melchor Dizon assured that they will resume the processing of applications from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) once funds become available. (File photo by Ramon FVelasquez/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA – The Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Hong Kong on Wednesday has temporarily suspended the online application for theUSD200 (PHP10,000) cash assistance under the Department of Labor and Employment-Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (DOLE-AKAP) program.

In Advisory 07A-2020, Labor Attaché Melchor Dizon assured that they will resume the processing of applications from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) once funds become available.

“Pursuant to the directive of the Department of Labor and Employment dated 22 April 2020, informing all OFWs that the DOLE has only a limited budget wherein only 150,000 OFWs worldwide can be accommodated under the program and considering that the quota or allocation has been reached, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) Hong Kong is hereby constrained to temporarily suspend acceptance of application for the DOLE-AKAP program and will resume only upon release of any additional funds,” Dizon said.

The PHP10,000 cash assistance is provided to affected OFWs, documented or undocumented, who are stranded overseas or have been repatriated under the DOLE-AKAP program.

The POLOs and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) are processing the financial assistance.

The DOLE has approved an allocation of PHP1.5 billion for the program which was sourced from the DOLE-Covid Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP).