Bello confident DOLE will get P2.5B more for OFW assistance program

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Thursday said he is confident the labor department will get additional funds for its cash assistance program for Filipino migrant workers affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has recently sought an additional P2.5 billion for its Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (AKAP) program for overseas Filipino workers (OFW.).

"Sa ngayon wala pang action on our request, but we are confident that the President, knowing his bias for OFWs, ay hindi matatanggihan ng ating Pangulong Duterte ang mga OFW natin," Bello said at the Laging Handa briefing.

The DOLE initially got P1.5 billion for the program and another P1 billion in May. Under AKAP, qualified OFWs will get a one-time cash aid of P10,000 or $200.

As of July 4, DOLE offices have approved 224,756 out of the more than 551,000 requests for assistance, according to the DOLE. The department said 128,348 of the approved OFWs are still abroad.

"The fund released to us is fast depleting," Bello said in a statement last Sunday.

He said 188,473 of the qualified OFWs have received cash aid amounting to P1.927 billion as of July 4, while 56,283 have yet to receive theirs.

The official said the additional funding will allow the DOLE to provide assistance to close to half a million OFWs. —KBK, GMA News