DMW gives cash aid to New Zealand-based OFWs who lost jobs

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has given financial aid to hundreds of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in New Zealand who were displaced after the company they were working for was shut down.

At the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, DMW Undersecretary for Policy and International Cooperation Patricia Yvonne Caunan said an initial 107 eligible recipients were given 1,050 New Zealand dollars (NZ$) or more than P36,000 in cash aid.

“Another 72 ‘yung bibigyan pa… inaantay lang yung transmittal ng funds,” Caunan said.

(Another 72 workers will be given cash aid. We are just waiting for the transmittal of funds.)

“Another 345 to be processed. So a total of 524,” she said.

More than 700 OFWs in Christchurch, New Zealand, found themselves suddenly jobless when ELE was shuttered four days before Christmas.

ELE was described by the New Zealand government as a "skilled labor hire agency in the construction and manufacturing sector."

The company initially promised to pay the employees their remaining salary, but there was no news when this would happen.

With their visas reportedly valid for three years, the OFWs weren't allowed to switch jobs and have been living without any income for the last two weeks. Most of them have not been in the country for more than a year. 

“Ito ang report ng aming labor attaché, several employers have communicated with our MWO (Migrant Workers Office) expressing interest to employ yung mga employees nitong ELE Limited. So kami naman kung ganyan kaganda 'yung intention ng mga employers sa NZ, ifa-facilitate namin ‘yan lalo na kung makakatulong ng trabaho doon,” Caunan said.

(Our labor attaché reported that several employers have communicated with our MWO to express their interest in hiring the employees of ELE Limited. As long as it helps the impacted Filipinos find employment, we will accommodate the request of the New Zealand employers with good intentions.)

The DMW official said the agency is requesting the New Zealand Foreign Affairs Ministry to allow the 14 Filipino employees of ELE, who are on vacation in the Philippines, to return to the South Pacific country.

“Nakikipag-ugnayan rin tayo na makabalik sila at magkaroon ng opportunity na maghanap ng ibang trabaho doon sa New Zealand,” Caunan said.

(We are also communicating to enable them to go back to New Zealand and look for new employment.) —VBL, GMA Integrated News