THE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) in Davao Region handed over its financial assistance of P120,000 to the family of the late Helen Riobuya Sarocam, an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who allegedly committed suicide in Kuwait on May 22.
Since Sarocam was an active member of the office, Owwa-Davao Director Eduardo E. Bellido said her family received the cash aid as her case is an OFW who dies of a natural cause.
He added that those who die of an accidental death, the families will receive P220,000 death and burial assistance.
The Sarocam family also received P15,000 livelihood assistance, plus P8,000 educational assistance for son Carlon Jan.
Carlon availed himself of a scholarship grant under the Education and Livelihood Assistance Program (Elap).
Bellido said the MMML Recruitment Services Inc., through its branch manager Aileen Villodres, also handed P442,000 insurance claims to the family, of which the P294,666.67 goes to Helen's husband Rolando as primary beneficiary and P147,333.33 to eldest daughter Charlene.
Aside from the financial assistance, Bellido said the Sarocam family also underwent one-on-one counseling to bear out their individual plans, livelihood projects, and other family relation concerns to guide them in proper management of the financial assistance they received.
"The family was pleased and thankful to the agency for facilitating the release of the benefits. They also assured to us that they will manage the funds prudently and wisely, and that the father will see to it that his children will finish their studies," Bellido said.
Sarocam, who hailed from Monkayo town in Compostela Valley province, allegedly jumped to her death around 5 a.m. from the fifth floor of her agency's accommodation in Hawally, Kuwait, where she stayed on May 22, just two days before her scheduled flight back home on May 24.
It was reported that Helen was suffering from depression due to homesickness when she jumped off the building. Her remains arrived at F. Bangoy International Airport in Davao City around 10:30 p.m. of June 4.