DMW has spent P414M on distressed OFWs

The Department of Migrant Workers said on Thursday that they have spent about P414 million of its P1.2 billion action fund this year to assist distressed Overseas Filipino Workers.

According to DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac, the agency still has a balance of P780 million.

"We still have a balance of around P780 million. We have a catchup plan that we are doing for the last two months of the year, most of these funds will be rolled over to the year 2024 anyway," Cacdac said in a hearing of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs.

Cacdac added that the action fund is for legal, medical, or humanitarian assistance.

"That three-fold assistance model was assigned by no less than our dear secretary, Secretary Toots Ople because what is stated in the law is legal or other forms of assistance. But Secretary Toots pointed out the other forms of assistance are legal, medical, or humanitarian," Cacdac added.

Cacdac stated that the action fund has benefitted 5,325 Filipinos this year, including those affected by various challenges in Turkey and the Middle East.

"This includes the earthquake in Turkey, those affected by the conflict in Sudan, the case of a large fire and building collapse in the UAE, Dubai, and Qatar, and recently, of course, what our OFWs are suffering from the conflict in Israel and Lebanon is also included here," he added.

The OIC added that Filipinos living in war-torn areas tend to get more out of the fund. He said that about 700 OFWs families in Israel have availed of helpline assistance.

"At first, we provided P20,000 in financial assistance upon return, but Secretary Toots increased it to P30,000… There is a special case for those who were caught in a conflict or war situation like Sudan. But here in Israel, we handed P50,000," he said.