OFW reintegration fair commences in QC
QUEZON CITY, Philippines – Following several repatriation efforts in the Middle East, a reintegration fair for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) commenced in Quezon City on Monday.
The event named “Bayanihan Para sa Balikbayang Manggagawa: A National Reintegration Network (NRN) Fair” is set to serve around 800 repatriated OFWs for government support in reintegration.
“This initiative serves as a platform for repatriated OFWs affected by the ongoing Middle East crisis, along with their families, to access multi-dimensional reintegration support and services,” the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said in a statement.
READ: House panel okays bill on OFWs’ sustainable reintegration
“Around 15 recruitment agencies and 12 companies will offer around 8,000 local and overseas employment opportunities to OFWs,” it added.
Since tensions in the Middle East began on February 28, the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration have repatriated a total of 4,241 OFWs from the Middle East through a combination of land transportation, chartered flights, and government-funded commercial flights.
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has repatriated over 700 non-working Filipinos in the region.
According to the DFA’s February data, there were around 2.5 million Filipinos in the region, including OFWs, tourists, students, and pilgrims.
Along with OWWA, present during the fair to assist the OFWs are the following government agencies:
- Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
- Department of Education
- Department of Science and Technology
- Department of Tourism
- Department of Information and Communications Technology
- Pag-ibig Fund
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Trade and Industry
- National Commission of Muslim Filipinos
- Social Security System
- Department of Social Welfare and Development
- Cooperative Development Authority
- Commission on Filipinos Overseas
- Department of Health
- Department of Labor and Employment
- Overseas Filipino Bank
- PhilHealth Insurance Corp.
- Landbank of the Philippines
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac previously reported that it has provided on-site services to nearly 17,000 OFWs in the Middle East. These services include food and water assistance and temporary accommodation. /mr
