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PINAWI ng mga opisyal ng Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) at Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) ang pangamba ng mga kongresista sa kahandaan ng pamahalaan pauwiin sa Pilipinas ang mga migranteng manggagawa sakaling lumala ang sitwasyon sa Middle East.
Sa joint hearing ng House Committees on Foreign Affairs at Overseas Workers Affairs, sinabi ni DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac na nasa P200 milyon ang kanilang Aksyon Fund at mayroong pa umanong P800 million na dagdag mula sa Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
“Thus far, the funds have been downloaded to the respective posts and they are adequate. We are poised to download P200 million more to replenish and, as I said, still awaiting a release from the DBM for P800 million,” wika ng kalihim.
“These are all workable. We have a very strong coordinative relationship with the DBM,” dugtog ni Cacdac.
Paliwanag ng DMW chief, ang Aksyon Fund ay isang multi-billion-peso welfare fund na para sa rapid assistance sa “OFWs in distress.”
“It covers legal, medical, repatriation and humanitarian support, particularly for workers who require rescue or are caught in crisis or conflict situations abroad,” aniya pa.
Sa panig naman ni OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan, na aabot pa sa P1.4 billion ang kanilang Emergency Repatriation Fund (ERF) at maaaring magamit para sa “large-scale evacuation” sa mga OFW na maiipit sa labanan ng joint-forces ng Amerika at Israel kontra Iran.
“We are at a utilization rate of 18 percent as we speak. So that would bring us down to a balance of P1.4 billion. We will notify the DBM once we have reached a 30 percent mark and so on and so forth, hanggang makuha po namin yung needed supplemental budget,” pahayag pa ni Caunan.
Nauna nang sinabi ni House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos na mahalagang malaman ng Kamara ang sitwasyon ng mga OFW sa Middle East at tiyakin ang kaligtasan ng mga tinaguriang bayani ng makabagong panahon.
Kaya naman sa ilalim ng liderato ni Speaker Faustino Dy III, hinimok ni Marcos ang pagkakaroon ng naturang joint briefing para magbigay ng updated assessment ang mga kinauukulan ahensya ng pamahalaan at mabatid din ang kahandaan ng gobyerno ilikas at tulungan ang mga OFW na naipit sa giyera.
“With a significant number of Filipinos working across the Middle East, it is important that we stay ahead of developments and ensure that the necessary support mechanisms are in place,” giit ng House majority leader.
“The House wants to receive a full briefing on the situation on the ground and on the readiness of our agencies to assist our nationals should conditions require government intervention,” sabi pa ni Marcos. (ROMER R. BUTUYAN)
