₱5 Billion Repatriation Funds for OFW Could be Exhausted by September

According to estimates by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the allocated government funding for the quarantine facilities of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) returning home amounting to ₱5 billion is likely to be depleted by September.

This year, the number of OFWs that have been repatriated so far has already reached 100,000 to 130,000. Of these figures, only 70,000 to 80,000  returned home due to the effects of the global pandemic.

Over the past week, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) projected that only 30,000 to 40,000 more OFWs will be repatriated throughout the remainder of the year.

“So we have a ₱5.2 billion approved by President Duterte through the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) so we are really thankful for it…. This will last until September. After that, we will need additional funding,”, explained OWWA Administrator Hans Cadac.

This marks the second time that the OWWA has asked for additional funding from the DBM. After the government extended the quarantine period for inbound travelers, OWWA’s quarantine expenses soared leading them to ask for a bigger budget.

The quarantine period was prolonged from two to three days to 10 days. However, the longer period prompted a reduction from the OWWA’s ₱11 billion funds under the 2021 national budget.

DOLE has likewise urged for the quarantine period to be shortened to allow OFWs to come home earlier. Health officials have gone against the proposal given the discovery of more infectious COVID-19 variants.

Source: BusinessMirror