President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. raised the financial assistance for displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from PhP50,000 to PhP150,000.

In an interview on Monday, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the increase in financial aid was ordered by the President.

“So, from PhP50,000 ginawa na nating PhP75,000 from DMW [and] PhP75,000 from OWWA [Overseas Workers Welfare Administration]. So that’s a PhP150,000 financial assistance upon return,” Cacdac told reporters.

Cacdac said other government agencies also extended immediate assistance to the displaced OFWs upon their return.

He said the Department of Health (DOH) will also provide physical checkups upon arrival of the affected OFWs while the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will extend livelihood and financial assistance.

The Technical Education And Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will provide training vouchers while other agencies such as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will provide post-repatriation assistance.

Cacdac said those who already received the PhP50,000 in financial assistance are not covered by the increase.

He said the financial assistance applies to documented and undocumented OFWs. He added the OWWA provides more programs for the documented ones.

There are 11,360 OFWs in Lebanon, mostly in Beirut. Of the figure, 356 availed the government’s repatriation program. | PND