By Melody F. Alan
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) yesterday assured that the implementation of its “Aksyon Fund” to assist overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) is in full swing under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
During the pre-SONA (State of the Nation Address) Special "Resibo ng Serbisyo ng Pangulo" Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the DMW has disbursed nearly P1 billion from the Aksyon (action) Fund.
Aksyon Fund, short for Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW na Nangangailangan, is used for legal, medical, financial and other forms of assistance to OFWs, including repatriation, shipment of remains, evacuation, rescue, and any other analogous help or intervention to protect the rights of Filipino nationals
“The disbursement of Aksyon Fund had aided at least 52,000 workers in terms of legal and labor assistance and around 10,000 others provided with financial assistance,” Cacdac said.
In his second SONA last year, Marcos said the government is engaging with partners in the international community to ensure a safe working environment for OFWs.
“Our priority is to ensure that the principles of ethical recruitment, fair employment, and the safe and orderly migration of our people, are embodied in our agreements with other countries,” he said then.
Again, during last Labor Day commemoration, Marcos reiterated his order to the DMW to strengthen protection for OFWs and ensure government help during their times of need.
Cacdac said the DMW and its attached agency, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), have been responding to distress calls of OFWs, especially during the two major international conflicts – the Sudan humanitarian crisis that erupted in April 2023 and the conflict between Israel and militant group Hamas that started on Oct. 7, 2023.
“The financial package is unprecedented. Those who returned from Israel and Sudan, they got PHP50,000. In the past, the POEA and the OWWA gave only PHP10,000 to PHP20,000,” Cacdac said.
The whole-of-government aid, as ordered by the President, includes the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
The DMW's Aksyon Fund has a P2.8 billion budget allocation for 2024.
The fund system is continually being improved to make it more accessible and the distribution more efficient, Cacdac assured.
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