OWWA ‘relieved’ over quarantine removal for fully vaxxed OFWs

MANILA – The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) on Friday said the government’s move to scrap quarantine for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is a big relief, particularly in the use of government funds.

OWWA chief Hans Leo Cacdac, in a virtual forum, said a huge chunk of their funds is spent for quarantine expenses alone.

“In terms of the budget, about PHP24 billion is being spent on the repatriation effort. Around PHP17 billion of the PHP24 billion in (quarantine) hotels. So it’s a great relief also in the pocket of the national government, given to us courtesy of the DBM (Department of Budget and Management). Of course, with the approval of the President. We are very grateful,” Cacdac said.

Cacdac said with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) Resolution No. 159, effective February 1, they transported over 10,000 OFWs back to their home provinces as of Thursday.

“For the last three days…we transported nearly 6,000 OFWs to their home regions in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao on February 1. The next day around 2,500 and yesterday, it was 2,000,” he said.

Cacdac admitted the number was a drastic reduction of the OFWs staying in quarantine hotels.

“This was a drastic reduction as compared to 7,000 just four days ago and around 9,000 two weeks ago,” he said.

To date, Cacdac said there are only 1,500 OFWs unvaccinated remaining in some hotels.