DOLE: Over 173,000 repatriated OFWs now back at home provinces

MANILA, Philippines — More than 173,000 repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have been returned to their respective provinces, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported Sunday.

In a report to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said as of August 29, a total of 173,088 repatriated OFWs have been brought to their provinces.

For the month of August alone, Cacdac said a total of 55,709 repatriated OFWs were sent home after testing negative for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

OWWA said before they were sent home to their respective provinces, the repatriated OFWs were provided with temporary accommodation, food, and other assistance while waiting for their COVID-19 test results.

In early August, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the release of an additional P5 billion for the repatriation and assistance of OFWs displaced by the impact of COVID-19.

DOLE has been extending a one-time cash assistance worth $200 (or P10,000) to pandemic-hit OFWs through its Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (AKAP) program.

As of August 29, the DOLE said P2.492 billion had already been disbursed to 243,326 displaced OFWs who were either still on-site or have already been repatriated.

The assistance fund has a P2.5 billion allocation as well from the emergency Bayanihan law, the DOLE said.

/MUF