 |
| OFWs line up by the hundreds at the PCG for services amid the pandemic |
Overseas Filipino workers who are eagerly looking forward to
a US$200 cash assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment for those
“displaced” by the coronavirus pandemic should not rejoice this early.
That’s because Dole has yet to issue the guidelines for the
financial aid, announced on Mar 25 by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.
According to Secretary Bello, the cash assistance will be
given to about 70,000 OFWs whose works were disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, he did not specify the kind of disruption that would entitle an OFW to
the doleout.
 |
| PRESS FOR MORE INFO |
Welfare officer Virsie Tamayao of the Overseas Workers
Welfare Administration in Hong Kong supplied
the missing information, saying the money is meant for “medical assistance
and after-care needs of discharged Covid-19 patients.”
That clearly left out those wishing to get some help after
they lost their jobs because of the coronavirus outbreak, or had to go without
pay for weeks when they got stranded in the Philippines
because of the government’s travel ban to Hong Kong .
Dolores Balladares, chairperson of United Filipinos-Migrante
Hong Kong said the idea of giving financial help is good because it is timely.
“Ok naman ito sa temporary relief, pero ang tanong, me
guidelines na ba? Paano makukuha, sino ang qualified? Dyan lagi nagkakatalo. In
the end, may inilabas ngang pera pero hindi naman napakinabangan ng mas
maraming affected,” said Balladares.
She suggested that the process for claiming the aid be made
easier, and the requirements fewer. But ultimately, she said what OFWs need is
help in the longer term, like being given a job that will sustain their family.
 |
| Call us now! |
Balladares also cast doubt on the number of OFWs that are
supposed to benefit from the scheme.
“Kasi noon pa man, ang mga biktima ng virus sa luxury cruise
liners di naman nabigyan ng konkretong tulong,” she said.
 |
| Balladares says clear guidelines should be issued for those who want to apply for the cash aid |
To avail of aid under the program, OFWs must submit their certificate
of employment issued by their agencies. Their application will be evaluated and
processed by Polo in the place where they are based, or if they are in the Philippines
In the Philippines ,
Bello
“Now, of the total Php1.5 billion available assistance
package of the Department, we have initially released Php35 million to affected
workers, both those in the formal and informal sectors,” he added.
He said Dole is now fast-tracking the processing of
requirements submitted by companies in order to immediately provide assistance
to affected employees.
“We hope to cover at least 50% of those affected by next
week,” Bello
Bello also urged privately-owned companies to apply to Dole’s
Covid-19 Adjustment Measure Program, which offers a one-time Php5,000 financial
support for those that have adopted flexible work arrangements, or have
temporarily closed due to the pandemic.
“To avail of the assistance, employers must submit their
company payroll for February or earlier, which is before the implementation of
flexible working arrangements or temporary closure,” he said.
---
I-try mo ito, Kabayan: Kung interesado kang ma-contact ang mga advertiser namin dito, pindutin lang ang kanilang ad, at lalabas ang auto-dialer o kanilang website. Pindutin ulit and auto diaoer upang tumawag. Hindi na kailangang pindutin isa-isa ang mga numero.
 |
| Call now! |
