THE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) continuous to assist and monitor identified stranded overseas Filipino workers (OFWS) particularly those in China due to the effects of Covid - 19.

Windelin Marquez, OIC of the programs and services division of OWWA, said stranded OFWs are provided assistance through the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) for their immediate needs.

“OWWA seeks to provide the immediate needs for our identified stranded OFW’s just like in the case of those who came from Macau wherein they were stranded for several days, our POLO and welfare officers were there to assist them until they were successfully sent home in the Philippines. And upon their arrival, there was a continuous provision of support aside from the constant monitoring of their situation on what other assistance can be provided to them and their families,” Marquez added.

Manuela Peña, OWWA-Cordillera director, explained OFW’s from the region affected by the travel ban to China , Hong Kong and Macau will be accorded with a financial relief assistance amounting to P10,000 each, aside from other services like the OWWA Tuloy aral beneficiaries, Welfare Assistance Program, Balik Pinas-Balik Hanapbuhay Program and Skills for Employment Scholarship Program.

“OWWA is a membership institution and if you are not a members of SSS, you cannot get benefits. Our clients are the OWWA members whether active or inactive which is why they have received benefits over and above what they might be getting from their employers. For none OWWA members, we have a program for none documented workers which is not only P10,000 or reintegration but we have the NRCO, the SWD because welfare management labor migration is a one country team approach as stated under Republic Act 10022 where it identifies only one Filipino when he or she goes abroad but has various programs, this financial benefits are specifically for OWWA members,” Peña said.

Since February 5 to March 5 this year, there are 426 OWWA claimants in the country affected by the travel ban due to Covid-19 availed of the P10,000 financial relief assistance having an overall total of P4,260,000.