By Samuel P. Medenilla, Businessmirror, 29 May 2020
Recruitment and manning agencies are now compelled to shoulder the board and lodging expenses of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who lost their jobs en masse amid the raging novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
On Wednesday, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) came out with a new issuance amending its Department Order (DO) 211, Series of 2020.
Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III issued DO 211-A (Series of 2020), which states that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) will cease to pay for the temporary shelters of returning OFWs.
“The responsibility of providing for the board and lodging in III.3.b and c. among Philippine recruitment and manning agencies respectively shall apply whether during the implementation of community quarantine or under the new normal,” Bello said.
OWWA Administrator Hans J. Cacdac earlier said they already spent around P400 million to provide the temporary shelters to OFWs, who were quarantined or awaiting the result of their test result in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Batangas.
As of May 19, 2020, OWWA was able to provide temporary shelter to 12,588 OFWs.
Home-bound
Currently, the government is engaged in sending home 24,000 OFWs, who already tested negative for Covid-19.
Citing the latest data from the OWWA, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the government was ready to send home 16,000 OFWs, who stayed in NCR and Batangas.
He said more of the said OFWs are expected to be sent home on Thursday since three flights and two ships were schedule to transport more of the OFWs back to their hometowns.
President Duterte gave OWWA and other concerned agencies until the end of the week to bring home all of the 24,000 OFWs.
Increasing beneficiaries
IN a related development, DOLE also reported the number of applicants for its Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (AKAP) program of DOLE has now reached 450,000.
DOLE resumed accepting AKAP applications earlier this month after getting an additional P1-billion budget for the one-time P10,000 cash aid program for OFWs, who were affected by Covid-19.
The program now has a total of P2.5 billion, which is sufficient to benefit only 250,000 OFWs. Bello earlier said they are appealing for additional funding for AKAP to accommodate all of its applicants.
Currently, DOLE said only 145,000 qualified beneficiaries have benefited from the program.
March –
IT’S WOMEN’S MONTH!
“Respect and support women
every day of the year/s!”
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!
#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
Women’s Role in History Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Environmental Week;
Women’s Week
Week 3: Philippine Industry and “
Made-in-the-Philippines Products Week
Last Week: Protection and Gender-Fair Treatment
of the Girl Child Week
Daily Observances:
March 8: Women’s Rights and
International Peace Day;
National Women’s Day
March 4: Employee Appreciation Day
March 15: World Consumer Rights Day
March 18: Global Recycling Day
March 21: International Day for the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination
March 23: International Day for the Right to the Truth
Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations
and for the Dignity of Victims
March 25: International Day of Remembrance of the
Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
March 27: Earth Hour
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
