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| Caunan welcomed 1millionth visitor to the OFW lounge in July (OWWA photo) |
The Department of Migrant Workers has assured the public that the OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers) Lounges at Terminals 1 and 3 at Ninoy Aquino International Airport will not be closed down due to lack of funds but will actually be expanded.
The DMW statement said that instead of closing the two OFW lounges will be expanded and strengthened to serve more OFWs “who deserve the premium treatment as our modern-day heroes.”
It added that a more comfortable lounge will reopen soon at Terminal 1, with additional lounges being prepared in Cebu and Clark and other areas.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
The report about the possible closure of the free lounges came out after Overseas Workers Welfare Administration chief Patricia Yvonne Caunan told legislators on Friday, Sept. 6 that the the facilities that are open round-the-clock could be shut due to insufficient funds.
She told the House committee on appropriations, “Unfortunately, Mr. Chair, if we follow the Php142-million allocation in the NEP (National Expenditure Program), then we cannot continue the level of service that we’re giving our OFWs for not even one of the lounges. Mr. Chair, these lounges operate 24/7,” Caunan said.
About a week earlier, Caunan said in a press conference in Hong Kong that she was asking the OWWA budget to be raised to Php1.2 billion so it could continue funding the lounges and other projects.
The proposed budget will also fund the continued operations of the OFW Global lounge at United Centre in Admiralty, which also offers free coffee and snacks and hosts various events mostly on Sundays, and is being leased by OWWA at about Php4.5 million each month.
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| Ex-House Speaker Martin Romualdez led opening rites for OFW Centre in HK |
Sacked former administrator Arnell Ignacio who was behind the opening of the lOFW lounges and the OFW Center, had said in the past that they were funded under the General Appropriations Act, as sponsored by Rep. Yedda Romualdez, wife of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
In its statement, the DMW said the public should only get information from its official social media pages and websites, as well as OWWA's.
In a separate statement, OWWA also labeled the news about the lounge closures as false, but did not deny that it is seeking additional funds so it can upgrade facilities, expand services and sustain the free food and amenities they provide.
It added that more than 1.5 million OFWs have already been served since the lounges opened.
