The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has used more than P414 million or about 34 percent of its P1.2-billion fund this year in assisting distressed Filipinos overseas, mostly coming from the Middle East countries.
DMW officer-in-charge Hans Cacdac said the beneficiaries received P10,000 each as start-up capital for their livelihood projects and is part of a broader effort to help Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who have been adversely affected by harsh circumstances abroad.
“The DMW has a balance of around P780 million. We have a catch-up plan for the last two months of the year, most of these funds will be rolled over to 2024,” Cacdac said.
Cacdac said the fund is meant for legal, medical or humanitarian assistance.
The beneficiary OFWs are those considered undocumented or those whose employment contracts were not processed by the DMW and those who overstayed despite expired visas and permits. Also covered by the DMW subsidy program are OFWs who were
maltreated, victims of human trafficking, had no Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) membership payment, and inactive members of the OWWA.
Most of the distressed OFWs came from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, Malaysia, Bahrain, China, Cyprus and Dubai. When their work permits expired, some of them voluntarily returned home at their own expense, while others sought help from Philippine embassies to be able to come home.
At present, the DMW action fund has benefitted 5,325 Filipinos this year, including those affected by various challenges in the Middle East.
In Israel, Cacdac said some 700 OFW families have availed of helpline assistance.