CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)–Due to limited capacity of the airline providing service to bring home the remains of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will facilitate the transfer of 44 remains today.
“Maiuuwi na natin pero 44 po lamang kasi ‘yun lang ang kaya ng eroplano ng PAL. We will be bringing in 44 out of which 14 are COVID-related deaths. Makakarating po sila pero the following Sunday, another batch of 44 will be brought home hanggang maiuwi natin lahat sila,” DOLE Sec. Silvestre Bello III said during the daily Network Briefing with Communications Sec. Martin Andanar, July 8.
(We can send home (the remains) but we can only send 44 of them because that is the only capacity of PAL’s plane. We will be bringing in 44 of which 14 are COVID-related deaths. They will be sent here and on the following Sunday, another batch of 44 will be brought home until we can send them all home)
In Region 10, Eugene Mesias of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said since February 1 to July 7, they have already brought home four remains of OFWs of which one is COVID-19 related death.
“Nakauli na ni sila ug nadawat na sa mga pamilya (They are already sent home and their families have received them),” Mesias said.
As for the OFW assistance, Bello said they have a P1.9 billion budget to provide immediate relief to those who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, about P500 million is left from such a budget.
Bello said they already requested an additional budget of about P2.5 billion from the national government since 100,000 OFWs are still to be accommodated.
Based on Department Order No. 212, DOLE shall provide displaced OFWs on account of COVID-19 with one-time financial assistance of P10,000. (RTP/PIA10)