President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. vowed on Sunday to strengthen the tie-up between the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the newly created Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to provide timely assistance to Filipinos in distress.

“Sa pagtutulungan ng DFA, sa pangunguna ni Kalihim Enrique Manalo at ng pinakabagong ahensya ng ating administrasyon… ang tawag ay DMW, the Department of Migrant Workers na pinangungunahan ni Kalihim Toots Ople, lalo nating pag-iigtingin ang tambalang ito upang makapagbigay ng mabilis at karampatang serbisyo at tulong sa mga overseas Filipinos na nangangailangan ng tulong,” President Marcos said in his remark during his meeting with the Filipino community in Cambodia.

The government extended much-needed assistance at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, President Marcos said, adding it was done through the coordination between the DFA, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

During the visit of OWWA’s Welfare Officer in Cambodia last year, welfare assistance was extended to OFWs awaiting repatriation in addition to the support provided by the DFA’s Assistance to Nationals (ATN) Fund.

According to the President, the government conducted medical repatriations and also extended help through the Legal Assistance Fund, which provided Khmer-speaking lawyers to Filipinos facing legal problems in Cambodia.

More than 10 million Filipinos live and work in different parts of the world, including those in Cambodia.

Based on the data from the Philippine consulate in Cambodia, there are more than 5,000 Filipinos living and working in the country, most of them are English teachers and supervisors in clothing and apparel factories and casinos. | PND