SENATOR Juan Edgardo Angara on Monday renewed his call to the Duterte administration to come up with a clear plan on what it intended to do with the Filipino workers in Kuwait whom they are convincing to return home.
He aired his concern about the future of the returning migrant workers and their families if the government had no immediate plans for them.
Angara made his statement even as Rep. Wes Gatchalian renewed his call to the Department of Foreign Affairs to quickly deploy legal attachés to the countries with a high population of Filipino workers.
He said the legal attachés would help both consular and diplomatic officials and the Filipinos facing legal problems.
“Protecting our [workers] in foreign countries is primarily a legal problem,” Gatchalian said.
“As much as we want to protect our citizens, we have to do so in a manner that is mindful of the sovereign rights and prerogatives of our foreign partners.”
Angara said there must be clear plan to reintegrate the Filipinos returning home from Kuwait.
“There should be a sure job when they return. Aside from ensuring their safety, they should have a job and livelihood assistance awaiting them,” said Angara, vice chairman of the Senate’s labor committee.
He was the sponsor of Republic Act 10801 that strengthens the power of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to help and provide assistance to migrant Filipinos.
Under that law, at least 10 percent of the contributions of migrants”•called the OWWA Fund”•should be used for a reintegration program every year to help those who lost their jobs or had decided to return.
Such program includes employment and livelihood training, access to credit, the grant of money to start their own business, as well as financial literacy and techno-skills training, business counseling and job referrals.
This year, of the P2.876-billion total budget of OWWA, P376 million was allocated for reintegration services.
“We urge the OWWA to raise this amount, if necessary, in order to extend the much-needed assistance to our returning Filipinos, especially those who came from Kuwait,” Angara said.