OWWA: LAST BATCH OF OFWs FROM LYBIA ARRIVING THIS WEEK
MANILA, MARCH 17, 2011 (STAR) By Mayen Jaymalin - The last batch of Filipino workers who escaped hostilities in Libya is arriving in the country within the week, according to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
OWWA chief Carmelita Dimzon said the repatriation of Filipino workers from Libya is expected to end this week with the arrival of the last group of 2,000 workers.
Dimzon said that the government, with help from foreign employers and the International Organization on Migration (IOM), has repatriated about 9,000 OFWs from Libya since the hostilities broke out.
Out of the 9,000 repatriates, a total of 8,696 have already received the P10,000 financial grant from OWWA, while the rest, including those who are arriving this week, are expected to claim the assistance soon.
"We have already released to the returnees over P86 million from the P100 million fund allocated for the granting of the P10,000. We would be asking the OWWA board to release additional budget so we could provide the same benefits to repatriates who are yet to claim the money from OWWA," Dimzon said.
She also reported that 1,832 of the returnees sought the assistance of the government's National Reintegration Center Office (NRCO). Of the number, 1,459 want re-employment facilitation, while the rest expressed desire to stay for good and set up their own business.
However, Dimzon clarified that the government is providing the P10,000 grant exclusively for those who were repatriated from Libya.
She issued the clarification after noting that there were Filipino workers who have long since returned home and are now demanding that they be also given financial grant.
"We are giving the grant to those who returned from Libya because they suffered sleepless nights and trauma because of the tension there. It's just a temporary relief for our workers for their sufferings," Dimzon pointed out.
A majority of those who received the financial grant from OWWA were OFWs from the National Capital Region (NCR), Central Luzon and CALABARZON region. There were also some recipients from Cebu and other provinces in Central Visayas.
OWWA also shelled out a total of P4,725,000 for the transportation of over 4,000 repatriates to their respective provinces. A total of 1,812 OFW families availed of Libreng Tawag while 813 were provided temporary shelter.
"We had to get two halls at the Philippine Trade and Training Center (PTTC) so we could provide temporary shelter to returning workers and make them comfortable while waiting for their return to the provinces," she added.
With the help of doctors from the Department of Health and counselors from the Social Welfare Department, OWWA offered stress debriefing for more than 2,000 returnees.
Despite criticism that the government was apparently slow to respond to the Libya crisis, Dimzon maintained that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and OWWA exerted all efforts to help the Filipino workers there.
She said OWWA deployed 14 welfare officers to assist in the repatriation of the workers from Libya who fled using different exit points such as Malta, Tunisia, Spain, United Arab Emirates, Greece and Egypt, Rome, Turkey and Brunei.
Dimzon explained that OWWA is not spending all the funds for the repatriation of workers because after the completion of the program, the recruitment agencies and national government would be paying back the cost to OWWA.
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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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