Wednesday, April 15, 2020

OFWs displaced by COVID-19 to get P10K or $200 aid

CORTES, Bohol April 15 (PIA) -- The Philippine government is providing one-time financial assistance for land-based or sea-based Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) displaced by the measures implemented to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). 

Through the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the government is giving $200 USD or P10,000 or its equivalent to the local currency in the host country, according to Labor Sec. Silvestre Bello as stated in Department Order No. 212, series of 2020. 

Eligible for the financial aid are the regular and documented overseas OFWs, or qualified undocumented OFW, including the Balik-Mangagagawa. 

Documented or regular OFWs are those with a valid passport, appropriate visa or permit to stay and work in the receiving country, and those whose contract of employment has been processed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Authority (POEA) or the Philippine Overseas Labor and Office (POLO). 

Qualified undocumented OFWs are those who used to be regular documented workers but lost their regular or documented status, those not registered with the POEA or whose contracts were not processed through the POEA or POLO but have undertaken actions to regularize their contracts or status, and those who are active members of the Overseas Workers Welfare Authority at the time of availment. 

OFWs who are also unable to return to their host country in view of the host country’s lockdown due to COVID-19 are also eligible for the aid. 

The assistance is also for OFWs who have been displaced from their jobs due to the receiving country’s imposition of anti-COVID measures, still on their overseas job sites or are already repatriated to the Philippines and who have not been receiving any financial assistance from their host countries or employers. 

For the assistance, the government has identified 20 countries in the Middle East and Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and the Americas with POLO presence and are heavily affected by the disease. 

Prioritized for the said assistance are OFWs from the following countries: Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Brunei, Hongkong, Japan, Korea, Macau, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, New, Zealand, Canada, Cyprus, Italy, Germany, Greece, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States of America. 

With this, OFWs are asked to submit accomplished application forms for the Special Cash Assistance which can be downloaded at the POLO’s website and social media accounts. 

The application shall be attached with a copy of the passport or travel documents, proof of overseas employment or proof of loss of employment on account of COVID-19, or proof that the OFW is currently involved in an ongoing case like case reference or case endorsement with POLO stamps. 

Upon submission, the POLO will evaluate the documents and within five days, notify the OFW of the status of the application within that span. 

When the application is approved, the POLO releases $200 through bank transfer or money remittance. 

For the Balik Manggagawa, the repatriated OFW submits to the OWWA regional offices the accomplished application form, copy of passport and travel document, proof of overseas employment, and proof of loss of employment due to COVID-19. 

The same would be assessed by the RWOs and within five working days, the applicant is notified of the status of the application. 

When approved, the repatriated OFW would get the P10,000 from the DOLE Regional Office through money remittance. 

The government has allocated some P1.5 billion from its funds to implement the DOLE CAMP which has AKAP under it, according to Bello. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 
FORCED TO COME HOME AND LEAVE WORK. OFWs who are forced to stop working due to measures instituted to stop the spread of COVID-19 can avail of assistance from the government, which also responded to aid the OFWs in distress through the DOLE AKAP program. (PIABohol) 

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