Tabuk gives aid to hard hit OFWS

August 8, 2020 Provincial

Six Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) received P3,000.00 each from the Tabuk City government through its Public Employment Service Office (PESO), as part of an assistance given to COVID19-displaced OFWs.
Tabuk City Mayor Darwin Estrañero who personally handed the assistance to the OFWs this Monday said, “aside from being a health issue, this pandemic also caused economic downturn to many of the host countries of our OFWs. Adu kanyada (OFW) ti agsubli nga awan savings or investments da,” (Most of them (OFW) come home without savings or investments), he said.
Three more OFW returnees are yet to claim the monetary assistance. Labor and Employment Officer Francis Biag said the 6 were the first batch of COVID affected OFW beneficiaries adding, “PESO will prioritize assistance to returning OFWs who lost their employment because of the pandemic.”
Tabuk City’s program to assist distressed OFW returnees started in 2008. Beneficiaries include those who were displaced from their jobs due to war or political conflicts in host countries, or policy reform and changes by the host government, or are victims of illegal recruitment and/or human trafficking or other distressful situations.
Estrañero further explained that the program is intended to provide immediate relief to returning OFWs since their sector is one of those severely impacted by the pandemic.
The labor department said government has so far transported more than 120,000 returning OFWs to their respective provinces since May, and the number is expected to rise as more COVID affected migrant workers are repatriated to the country.
Displaced OFW returnees from Tabuk City can seek assistance at the Public Employment Service Office which is temporarily accommodating clients at the Tabuk gymnasium, assured Estrañero. AA/ABN