THE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) Davao recorded a total of 263 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Davao Region who sought financial assistance after they were stranded following the implementation of travel ban in several countries due to coronavirus disease (Covid-19) threat.
Owwa Davao labor communications officer Maricel Sarabillo said in an interview Thursday, March 5, that since February 5 when the government imposed travel ban between the Philippines, mainland China and its special administrative regions such as Macau and Hong Kong over the coronavirus outbreak, many OFWs were stuck.
Owwa Davao assisted 263 workers who claimed P10,000 financial assistance. Sarabillo added that as of March 4, their office released a total of P2.6 million to at least ease the financial burden of some affected OFWs.
Earlier, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has lifted the travel ban for Filipino Migrant Workers bound to Hong Kong and Macau, the same in Taiwan. Only travels bound to mainland China were not allowed.
“Nag-worry sila sa certainty sa ilang security of tenure kay wala pa kasigurohan kung makabalik ba sila (Some are worried about their security of tenure and if they could still go back),” Sarabillio said.
Most of those who have sought their assistance are domestic workers in Hong Kong, nurses, and skilled workers. The most number of OFWs seeking assistance were from Davao City as well as those from Soccsksargen and Caraga regions who processed their applications here.
She added that the OFWs were apprehensive about their safety due to the infectious disease, however, some decided to return to their employees.