THE Davao City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) Overseas Filipino Workers Families' Welfare and Crisis Center is now eyeing to establish OFW or Migrants Help Desk in the barangays.
"Isa na sa priority for policy agenda kung pwede mabuhatan og help desk for migrant workers and their families (It is one of our priorities for policy agenda is the creation of the help desk for migrant workers and their families)," CSWDO Social Welfare Assistant Rosevic Joey Jayme said in an interview with City Information Office earlier this month.
Jayme said that they will consult with barangay captains to come up with strategies for them to carry out this task, and also with the help of volunteers.
Jayme said that the help desks will help not only OFWs but their families as well.
Through the 2023 Children's Congress, the office was able to validate issues faced by the children of OFWs while their parents were away.
"Problems faced by children of OFWs include lack of parental guidance, lack of or problematic living situation with their guardians, and delayed remittances," Jayme said.
She said that the help desks aim to address the children's concerns and provide strong communication and referral pathways linking OFWs with their families and vice versa.
She added that for 2022-2023, the center was able to handle cases on child support, which were referred for legal assistance through the Integrated Gender and Development Division. They also asked for help from partner agencies to contact family members.
Jayme said their target for 2024 is strengthened awareness at the grassroots level on the advocacy and programs for OFWs and their families.
The office is already preparing for the training of trainors for the Pre-Migration Orientation Seminar that will be conducted for volunteers and district social workers of CSWDO to inform the soon-to-be OFWs and their families on advocacy on anti-illegal recruitment, trafficking-in-persons, financial literacy, and to provide tips to family members on how to manage the family while one of the members are abroad. CIO