MANILA, Philippines —Only 16,000 of the expected 42,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) can return to the country this June, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Tuesday.
During an online Palace briefing, DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III explained that only 16,769 OFWs were able to complete their papers needed to return to the country.
“Only 16,679 will be coming in, and some have come in already, by this time siguro lagpas na ng 1,000. Ang darating lang within the month of May and June, 16,679,” Bello said.
(Only 16,679 OFWs will be coming in and some have come in already, over 1,000 by this time. The number of those coming home within the month of May and June is 16,679.)
“Why? Kasi sila lang ang nakakumpleto ng mga papeles. Yung tinatawag nilang exit visa, yung kanilang clearances from their employers at saka syempre, yung ticket nila pauwi,” he added.
(Why? Because they are the only ones who completed the papers needed – the exit visa, their clearances from employers and their ticket going home.)
In a statement recently, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that the agency alongside embassies and consulate generals worldwide would shoulder the airfares of repatriated overseas Filipinos.
Earlier, National Task Force against COVID-19 (NTF) chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said 42,000 OFWs are expected to return to the country due to COVID-19.
Galvez expressed concern that the number of OFWs might overwhelm the existing quarantine facilities for their mandatory 14-day isolation upon arrival.
Earlier, the 24,000 OFWs who arrived in the country were already sent home to their respective provinces.