The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is requesting additional funding for the repatriation and reintegration programs of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the conflict in the Middle East.
According to OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan, about 55% of their allocated emergency repatriation fund for the year has already been utilized.
In a briefing, she said this is the reason they are requesting a supplemental budget from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to support the return and assistance of affected OFWs.
The agency is seeking an additional ₱12 billion.
Caunan explained that the repatriation package includes both pre-repatriation and post-repatriation efforts.
Since the conflict in the Middle East began, government agencies have been continuously working to bring home Filipinos affected by the situation.
As of last week, more than 6,700 Filipinos have returned to the country, including over 5,000 OFWs and their dependents.
(PHOTO COURTESY: DMW)
