DOLE: Returning OFWs may avail of P20,000 assistance

MANILA, Philippines — Returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) may avail of some P20,000 in assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to put up a small business in the country.

According to DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III, they have been preparing a livelihood assistance program for OFWs displaced by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, saying this is part of the government’s recovery plans.

“Our immediate program is livelihood assistance and we will focus on returning and stranded OFWs. We will be giving them livelihood projects… OFWs are our main target,” he noted.

Under the program, OFWs can present their business proposals to DOLE for funding. Once approved, an OFW will be provided with a maximum of P20,000 as start-up capital for the livelihood project.

Bello added if an OFW needs a higher capital, DOLE can give them a loan, interest free.

It was estimated that some 25,000 OFWs have already returned to the Philippines since the start of the pandemic, while 40,000 others are expected to be repatriated until June.

Meanwhile, the number of Filipinos abroad confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 has increased to 2,360, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

The DFA said it has confirmed 30 new cases involving Filipinos in the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe.

It also confirmed five new deaths, bringing the total to 274.

The agency said there are 35 new recoveries, marking the fourth consecutive day with more recoveries than new cases involving Filipinos abroad.

A total of 824 have been discharged, while 1,262 are still undergoing treatment.

Most of the cases involving overseas Filipinos are in Europe with 690, Middle East and Africa with 685, Americas with 540 and Asia Pacific with 445.

Most deaths were in the Americas with 148, followed by Europe with 83, Middle East and Africa with 41 and Asia Pacific with two. Janvic Mateo