Gov’t has funds to pay OWWA’s debt to hotels — Palace

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Friday gave assurance the government will pay the P241 million the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) owed to some hotels for providing quarantine accommodations to returning overseas Filipino workers (OFW).

The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association earlier said OWWA has yet to pay P241 million to some 20 hotels operating in Manila, Tagaytay and Cebu.

“Well alam niyo po sang-ayon sa OWWA, mahigit na P2.3 billion na ang binayad natin sa ibat-ibang hotel. At lahat naman po yan yung mga billings ng hotel ay binubusisi, nirereconcile, at vineverify sang-ayon po sa standard COA [Commission on Audit] procedures,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised briefing.

(According to OWWA, it has so far paid P2.3 billion to different hotels. Every billing is being examined, reconciled and verified according to COA’s procedures.)

“So wag po kayong magalala, may pera po tayo dyan. Meron lang po talagang mga paper work at mga validation na kinakailangang gawin bago mabayaran,” he added.

(Don’t worry, we have money for that. We’re just doing some paperwork and validation before we pay that.)

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has already ordered OWWA to settle its dues to hotels in a week.

EDV