3,000 OFWs in Dubai to receive $200 cash assistance amid Middle East turmoil

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Some 3,000 qualified overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) here, who lost their jobs or were in a no work, no pay arrangement with their employers as a result of the Middle East conflict, will receive $200 financial assistance to be issued by the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in the coming days.

Speaking to GMA News Online, MWO Labor Attaché John Rio A. Bautista said this will be the first wave following receipt of funds from MWO’s Manila office. The amount will be issued in local currency, which is AED730.

The financial assistance was previously announced by Bautista in an advisory. 

He said a new advisory meanwhile will be issued on Tuesday, April 28, stating the link where one could file the application for the aid.

Bautista said they are expecting many applicants.

“Marami ang aming inaasahan na mag-aapply. Pero medyo limitado po ngayon ang paunang budget na ibinigay sa amin, so mga around 3,000 po na initial batch (ng recipients ang makatatanggap),” said Bautista.

(We are expecting a lot of applicants. But the initial budget that we have received is a bit limited, so we are expecting around 3,000 initial batch of recipients.)

He said the MWO will need three days to review the aid application after which the concerned OFW will be notified and may then proceed to a remittance center for the payout.

“'Pag sila ay na-approve, sila po ay makaka-recieve ng notification. Ang pagkuha po ng payout na AED730 ay makukuha po nila sa Al Ansari remittance exchange. Hindi po nila kailangang pumunta sa MWO,” said Bautista

(They will be informed once their application has been approved. They can get the AED730 payout at Al Ansari remittance exchange. They don’t need to go to MWO.)

Requirements include a filled-out, online registration form and proof that they are OFWs and that they lost their jobs or were in a no work, no pay situation, he added.

“Mag-fill out ng registration online, [at magbigay ng] patunay na sila ay OFW tulad ng Emirates ID, labor card, employment contract — isa lamang po dito — at maging 'yung patunay na sila ay naapektuhan sa trabaho gaya ng certification from the company, salaysay, cancellation — 'yun po ay isa lang po doon,” said Bautista.

(Fill up the registration online, then give proof that they are OFWs like Emirates ID, labor card or employment contract – just one of these – and proof that they have been affected by the war, like a certification from the company, a sworn statement, cancellation of contract, any of those.)

“Pinadali po natin ang requirements para mas mabilis po silang makapag-comply,” he said.

(We made the requirements easier so they can apply fast.)

There are around 500,000 Filipinos in Dubai and another 250,000 in the neighboring northern Emirates of Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Umm Am Quwain and Ajman. —KG, GMA News