MANILA – An official of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Friday they are assisting more than 300 Filipino teachers who are set to go back to China this month.
Alice Visperas, director of DOLE’s International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB), said the department and Philippine Airlines (PAL) are arranging the flight of the returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Guangzhou.
“We are helping our countrymen, returning workers going to China. Through our beloved Secretary (Silvestre Bello III), we are coordinating with Philippine Airlines for a chartered flight. At present, the scheduled flight for China is being arranged but hopefully, we can fix this so that we can also process their visa, hopefully by this month,” Visperas said in a virtual forum.
She said the OFWs involved are those who came home for a vacation last year or those whose contracts have ended.
“They are more than 300. Some of them went home last December for a vacation or have finished (their) contracts. They were not able to return because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. But because of the easing of lockdown, they will be able to return,” Visperas added.
She noted that the workers would shoulder their airfare.
“They are being assisted to get a good rate from PAL,” Visperas said.