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DBM approves addt’l P5B to augment DOLE-OWWA’s OFW repatriation fund
By TED CORDERO, GMA News The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Wednesday it has approved the release of an additional P5 billion to augment Overseas Workers Welfare Administration’s (OWWA) emergency fund for the repatriation of displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The DBM has already released the P5-billion allotment and cash allocation to DOLE-OWWA to augment its Emergency Repatriation Fund intended for displaced Overseas Filipino Worker returnees,” Budget Assistant Secretary Rolando Toledo said in a text message.
Toledo noted that the special allotment release order (SARO) for the said amount was issued on June 24.
To recall, OWWA has asked for a P5 billion supplemental budget to prolong its fund’s sustainability as it warned of a “largely looming” bankruptcy should it continue to spend for the food, accommodation, and transportation of repatriated workers beyond 2021.
The Budget official said the P5 billion released to DOLE-OWWA was charged from pooled savings pursuant to Section 4(v) of the Bayanihan Law.
The Bayanihan law, which gave special powers to the President to realign the national budget, has expired on June 25.
During the Laging Handa public briefing, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the agency has only about P700 million to fund repatriation efforts for displaced OFWs.
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In a separate statement, the Labor chief rejected calls for the use of the trust fund being managed by the OWWA to provide for the emergency needs of displaced and repatriated Filipino migrant workers.
Bello said OWWA funds should just be spent more for its members’ needs, such as livelihood or if they plan to put up businesses and for their children’s education.
The OWWA’s trust fund amounting to P18.79 billion is expected to be reduced to P10 billion by the end of this year, and plunge below P1 billion by the end of 2021 should OFWs continue to be displaced and repatriated.
The OWWA has so far spent more than P800 million for repatriation, accommodation, and cash assistance to COVID-19 affected returning OFWs.
“Dapat gobyerno ang magbigay ng pera para matiyak natin na lahat ng kailangan ng ating mga OFW ay matugunan natin… Bakit naman, for the first time na hihingi naman sila ng tulong, nangangailangan sila ng tulong, bakit naman kailangan nating galawin yung pondo nila? ‘Wag natin gamitin ang pera na ‘yan sa panahong ito,” the Labor chief said.
“Government has to take extra steps in order to assure additional budget to help our OFWs,” he added.
There are about 90,000 OFWs stranded in other countries, awaiting repatriation, while some 63,000 others have already been brought home.—AOL, GMA News