In a televised briefing, Sec. Bello III has shared important figures about OFWs particularly those who are affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of Overseas Filipino Workers who are displaced is about 341,161 while 2,390 are infected with COVID-19.
Labor chief on OFWs affected by COVID-19: Almost 200,000 of them (out of more than 340,000) do not want to come home. They want to stay there, especially those coming from America and Europe.
Labor chief on the budget for OFW cash aid: Originally, we asked for ₱1.5 billion because we estimated there would be 150,000 displaced OFWs. But it turned out, we already received 450,000 applications for cash assistance.
Labor chief says the government has given financial assistance to more than 145,000 OFWs.
Sec. Bello III says returning OFWs can either be employed by the government as construction workers or given livelihood assistance.
He also mentioned about the livelihood cash assistance: May cash assistance of ₱10,000 to ₱20,000. In addition to that, bibigyan ka ng livelihood assistance na ₱20,000 na inenegosyo mo. Walang bayad, walang interest
Stranded OFWs have been sent home from quarantine facilities
Labor Secretary Silvestre H Bello III said as of May 31, 2020, a total of 25,002 stranded OFWs have been released from quarantine facilities.
Of the said figure, 9,595 were transported by air; 7,900 traveled by land, and 385 returned by sea.
Meanwhile, 6,574 were fetched by their relatives from their temporary accommodation.
Those who have returned home includes around 8,000 seafarers who were stranded in 26 cruise ships in Manila Bay.
Around 200 of these seafarers, however, remain on board as they await their test results, and for safe manning purposes.
