Owwa releases P1.06-M death, burial benefits

THE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa), through its regional office, has turned over P1.06 million death and burial benefits to eight dependents of deceased overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Zamboanga Peninsula region.

Owwa Regional Director Hassan Jumdain said seven of the eight surviving dependents received P120,000 while the other one received P220,000.

Jumdain said the death and burial benefits were handed over to the surviving dependents on Tuesday.

Jumdain said Owwa, as a government welfare institution that develops and implements responsive programs and services for the social protection of its members, covers a member with life insurance for the duration of his employment contract.

The coverage includes P100,000 for death due to natural cause and P200,000 for death due to accident, Jumdain said.

He identified the seven recipients of P120,000 death and burial benefit as Evelyn Bugayong, Muslimaluya Donida, Hernani Encajonado, Ruth Lim, Rosalina Ramillano, Clemencia Tubang, and Nursiya Tawasil.

The one who received P220,000 death and burial benefit is Marie Anne Rellon, the daughter of the late OFW Merlinda Rellon who died in an accident in Saudi Arabia, he said.

Jumdain has appealed the dependents to use wisely the benefits given them by the government through Owwa. (Bong Garcia)