Repatriated OFWs due to pandemic top 800K: OWWA

MANILA – The government has provided assistance to a total of 803,521 repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic since last year, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said on Thursday.

“We have hit the 800K mark in terms of OFWs given food, quarantined, and transported to their home regions since May 2020,” OWWA chief Hans Leo Cacdac said in a Twitter post.

Cacdac added that the assistance provided to the returnees was in cooperation with other government agencies such as the DOLE-OWWA, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Transportation, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard, Manila International Airport Authority, Department of Health.

Other agencies who have rendered assistance include the Department of Tourism, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police, local government units, Department of National Defense, and Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Upon their arrival, the OFWs were assisted to their respective hotel quarantine facilities in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, where they will await their test results.

After testing negative for coronavirus, they will be transported by land and air to their final destinations.

Those who are bound for Luzon, they will be brought to Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange while those who are going to Visayas and Mindanao they will be brought to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.