As tensions between Israel and Iran intensify, the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental has activated its OFW Help Desk to assist Negrenses with family members in conflict-affected areas in the Middle East, ensuring swift support amid growing concerns for the safety of overseas Filipino workers.
Governor Eugenio Lacson on Tuesday, June 17, assured that any concerned resident who visits the Provincial Capitol to seek assistance for their loved ones potentially affected by the conflict in the Middle East will be promptly accommodated through the OFW Help Desk.
This help desk is operating under the Migrant Resource Center—a unit managed by the Public Employment Service Office (PESO)—with a designated migrant resource coordinator tasked to respond to all aid inquiries.
According to Karen Dinsay, PESO Manager and head of the Negros Occidental Scholarship Program Division, the desk is currently accepting concerns involving overseas workers in Israel, Iran, and Jordan.
Dinsay further shared that the province, through the office of Governor Lacson, will provide P5,000 financial aid to displaced or distressed OFWs, in accordance with the advisory from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
As of this writing, the Migrant Resource Center has yet to receive any official communication from the DMW confirming whether any Negrense is among those who have enlisted for voluntary repatriation.
Governor Lacson expressed optimism that no Negrense will be caught in the crossfire of the escalating conflict, and voiced confidence in the efforts of international leaders to help restore peace and order in the troubled countries.*
