DOLE: 1,875 COVID-hit OFWs in Singapore get $200 cash aid

Almost 2,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore received cash assistance from the Philippine government.

In a statement, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said a total of 1,875 OFWs in Singapore, who are employed in industries adversely affected by the pandemic received DOLE’s Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (AKAP).

“The assisted OFW beneficiaries were among those terminated, placed on unpaid leave status, or suffered from at least 25% salary cuts as a result of the global pandemic,” the DOLE said.

“They were each granted $200.00,” it added.

The Labor department said a separate 75 COVID-infected Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)-member OFWs in Singapore have also received one-time financial assistance of $200.00 each from OWWA Singapore.

“The cash grant is intended to aid in the recovery of COVID-19 positive OFWs who were unable to work because of their infection and as a consequence suffered from income loss,” the DOLE said.

The OWWA cash assistance program complements the DOLE-AKAP financial assistance to OFWs whose employment was adversely impacted by COVID-19, it said.

The Philippine Overseas Labor Office-Singapore has so far released a total of $360,000.00 for the program, according to the DOLE.

Meanwhile, affected OFWs in Singapore were also issued with a Certificate of Involuntary Separation, a requirement for qualified OFW SSS members to claim the benefit.

The SSS unemployment benefit is a cash assistance that covers unemployed workers, including OFWs, who were involuntarily separated from employment due to redundancy, retrenchment, downsizing, installation of labor-saving devices, closure or cessation of operation, among others.

To be eligible for the unemployment benefit, workers must be SSS members who are not more than 60 years old at the time of involuntary separation; and have paid at least 36 monthly contributions, 12 months of which should be in the 18 months immediately preceding the month of involuntary separation.

A qualified OFW SSS member is entitled to receive the amount equivalent to the member’s average monthly salary credit (AMSC). The benefit is a one-time grant and should be availed of within one year from the date of involuntary separation.—AOL, GMA News