A whole-of-government response as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has been mobilized to aid overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) caught in the escalating tension in the Middle East.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac said the newly established National Reintegration Network (NRN) for OFWs and their families, consisting of various government agencies, has been mobilized for comprehensive reintegration support to OFWs who have availed themselves of the government’s voluntary repatriation program.
“The President has given a directive to start mobilizing our resources to start repatriation of Filipino nationals, of OFWs, in partnership with DFA. We are here to provide all the necessary assistance and support to our OFWs who want to come home for their safety and security,” Secretary Cacdac said.
The DMW is still on voluntary repatriation mode, in which Secretary Cacdac reiterates his call for OFWs to avail the government’s repatriation services.
He said that around 178 OFWs currently in Israel have requested for repatriation, with 28 already travel ready.
In Iran, there is an ongoing effort to assist 14 OFWs, three from Jordan, one from Iraq, and one who crossed country to Iraq from Dubai.
Currently, around 48 OFWs that were stranded at Dubai International Airport have been assisted and returned home early this week. They have received financial assistance from DMW and OWWA immediately after they arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Ten more are stranded in Abu Dhabi, with four of them set to be repatriated.
OFWs that will avail of the repatriation program of the government will be given financial assistance under Aksyon Fund worth P75,000 each and another P75,000 from OWWA Emergency Repatriation Fund, to mitigate their loss of income and livelihood.
Other members of NRN are set to give other forms of assistance including skills training voucher from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), business opportunities from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), medical assistance from the Department of Health (DOH), and other assistance from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of Science and Technology.
The Secretary added that DMW and OWWA are currently on the lookout for Filipinos who are displaced or have lost their homes as reported by the Philippine Embassy. The Philippine government is currently looking at six areas badly hit by the missile attacks. These include: Rehovot, Benie Brak and Yehuda, and three more areas.
Secretary Cacdac explained that despite losing their homes, Filipinos may not be totally homeless as they could be residing with their employers or at the house of their friends, even in hostels operated by DMW in North Tel Aviv, Rehobot and one operated by the Migrant Workers Office in Tel Aviv.
OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan, meanwhile, said that their personnel are already on the ground and will be augmented by additional staff from DMW and OWWA. They will be deployed at areas with Filipinos that need immediate and necessary assistance that includes shelter, repatriation, and food supply.
“This is the hour to make ourselves available to our people,” Secretary Cacdac emphasized. “Tulungan mode tayo ngayon, pag-aruga mode tayo ngayon at tulong sa pagpapauwi mode,” he added as he reminded OFWs to reach out to the National Hotline 1348 and at DMW and OWWA’s Facebook accounts for their immediate concern and emergency requests.
Secretary Cacdac together with Assistant Secretary Venecio Legaspi, of the Land Based OFW Concerns, is set to fly to Beirut this Friday and onward to Amman, Jordan, to personally lead the ongoing efforts for the OFWs affected by the crisis.
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