By Jeffrey Damicog, Manila Bulletin, 26 May 2020
The government is anticipating the arrival within five months of almost 200,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who lost their jobs because of the pandemic, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III said on Tuesday.
“We are expecting another 45,000 OFWs arriving in the next 30 days and another 150,000 in the next four to five months,” he said during an interview over CNN Philippines.
“That’s the estimate of the OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) because we have already been receiving reports that some of their employers have closed shop and stopped business so they have to terminate the employment of our OFWs,” he added.
Densing said the government has already decided to no longer require arriving OFWs to undergo a 14-day quarantine and, instead, immediately have them undergo reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests to determine if they are infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
“Once the PCR test comes out and it turns out negative, pauuwiin na po (they will be sent home),” Densing said.
“So, we will no longer require a 14-day quarantine for the OFWs primarily because ipi-PCR test na sila,” he added.
He assured that the National Task Force on COVID-19 is trying “to address right now how to get the results immediately and communicate it to the OFW for the purpose of getting the medical certification.”
The DILG is carrying out the directive of President Duterte to send to their respective provinces around 24,000 OFWs who underwent quarantine in Metro Manila for over 14 days.
Densing reminded local government units (LGUs) not to prevent OFWs from returning home to their respective provinces.
“Otherwise, we will send them (LGUs) a show cause order why they are not abiding or following the directive of the national government vis-a-vis the OFWs’ return to the local government units,” he said.
Densing said that all 24,000 OFWs have certifications that they underwent a 14-day quarantine and have negative results from RT-PCR tests.
“So, walang dahilan po ang local government unit para hindi tanggapin ang OFW (So, the LGUs have no reason to turn away OFWs),” he said.
“But we also leave it to the local government units if they have extra protocols to implement,” he added.
September 18 –
International Equal Pay Day
“Increase wages now,
more than other cost items.
For widespread, practical equality!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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October –
Monthly Observances:
Industry and Commerce Safety Month
National Statistics Month
Local Government Month
Consumer Welfare Month
Cooperative Month
National Quality and Productivity Improvement Month
National Health and Wellness Tourism Month
National Indigenous Peoples Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Elderly Filipino Week
Week 2: National Health Education Week
Local Government Week
National Mental Health Week
October 17-23:
National Week for Overcoming Extreme Poverty
October 18 – 24:
United Nations Week
Last Week:
Nurses’ Week
Consumers’ Protection Week
Week of the 4th Sunday:
Barrio Farmers’ Week
Daily Observances:
First Monday (Oct 4): Universal Children’s Day i
n the Philippines
Oct 5: National Teachers’ Day
Oct 10: Local Government Day
Third Thursday (Oct 14): Conflict Resolution Day
Oct 21: Tenants’ Emancipation day
Oct 24: United Nations Day
Oct 29: National Indigenous People’s Thanksgiving Day
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