Drilon to OWWA: Use P20-B idle trust fund to provide livelihood for displaced OFWs

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) should beef up its efforts to assist the overseas Filipino workers displaced by the global pandemic, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Monday.

In a message to reporters, Drilon said focus must be given to the issues faced by thousands of OFWs who have lost their jobs because of the virus that has infected over 5.2 million people globally.

"The OWWA, in particular, is not doing its best to assist our OFWs," Drilon said.

"It has a P20-billion trust fund sitting in banks which it can use to provide livelihood assistance to displaced OFWs," he added.

Earlier this month, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said close to 86,000 onsite and repatriated OFWs affected by the pandemic have already received financial assistance

On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte also ordered the DOLE, OWWA, and the Department of Health to bring home to their provinces around 24,000 OFWs who had been stranded in Metro Manila for weeks.

"Sabi po ng Presidente, ang mga ahensiya ng gobyerno ay authorized to use all resources of the government and authorized to use all modes of transportation —buses, airplanes, and ships — para mapauwi na po itong 24,000 na ating mga kababayan,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III later said that the OFWs would be sent home in three days' time.

"Hindi na namin paaabutin ng isang linggo. Sa loob ng tatlong araw, pipilitin namin na mapauwi ang ating mga kabababayan na nahihirapan na sa quarantine facilities," Bello said in an interview over Dobol B sa News TV. — Dona Magsino/RSJ, GMA News