DOLE-AKAP beneficiaries have 10 days to claim assistance

Facade of the Department of Labor and Employment. (FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — All beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (AKAP) program who have yet to claim their financial assistance have 10 working days to claim the said aid.

“All approved DOLE AKAP beneficiaries who have yet to claim their financial assistance through money remittance centers shall be given 10 working days from the issuance of this advisory to claim the said assistance,” according to a DOLE advisory issued Wednesday.

“Failure to claim shall move back the said AKAP beneficiaries to the end of the line and allow payouts of other pending approved AKAP applicants in the waitlist,” it added.

DOLE, however, said that while their approved applications shall still be considered for payment, they would be subject to the availability of funds.

DOLE-AKAP is a program that gives one-time financial assistance of P10,000 or $200 to overseas Filipino workers whose employment was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier in March, DOLE said over P302 million of assistance from the first and second installments of the Bayanihan law were yet to be claimed by beneficiaries.

The fund covers DOLE’s programs that aim to help workers amid the pandemic, such as the AKAP, Tulong Panghanapbuhay para sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers, the general COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP), and CAMP for the tourism and education sector.

KGA