MANILA, Philippines — Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has asked the Office of the President for an additional P2.5 billion to cover the cash aid program for migrant workers displaced by COVID-19.
Bello said over 400,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) had applied for financial assistance, almost triple the agency’s original estimate.
Under the Akap program for OFWs of the Department of Labor (Dole), a one-time cash assistance of P10,000 ($200) will be given to land-based and sea-based migrant workers affected by the pandemic.
To date, Dole has already released the cash aid to 109,182 OFWs. It has, however, denied the request for assistance of more than 27,000 migrant workers.
—Jovic Yee
MOST READ
LATEST STORIES