The Labor Department instructed concerned government agencies to offer their repatriation package to distressed Filipino workers right on site- at the Filipino Workers' Resource Centers (FWRC) where hundreds are temporarily staying while waiting for their exit visas and plane tickets.

The secretary of Labor, Rosalinda Baldoz is hoping that her order would make the availment process of repatriation programs such as the Balik-Pinay Balik-Hanapbuhay Project faster and easier.

The repatriation package of the Philippine government helps an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) prepare their means of livelihood in the Philippines if ever they decide to come home for good.

Baldoz said, "We need to think out-of-the-box on how to fast track the reintegration of our distressed OFWs stranded in various FWRCs in the Middle East."

The agencies that were instructed by Baldoz to make repatriation package readily available to OFWs are National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs).

"We need to assure them that when they come home for good, they will have something to live by in terms of income, which was the reason they went abroad in the first place. It would be best if the reintegration program is brought to them right on-site, in the FWRCs, while they are waiting for their exit visas and plane tickets for home," Baldoz added.

Distressed OFWs based in the Middle East are prioritized for this program with Baldoz saying that for the second half of this year, an initial Php10 million is set aside for the OFWs that are staying at FWRCS in Riyadh and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Abu Dhabi and Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Bahrain; Kuwait; Lebanon; Syria; Libya; Qatar; Oman; and Jordan.

Troubled OFWs that are staying in six FWRCs in Asian countries (Hong Kong Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Brunei, Taiwan) would also be given assistance through the Balik-Pinay-Balik Hanapbuhay Project.

Labor Attaches in the Middle East are instructed to coordinate with the Philippine Embassy and host government to devise ways on how they can help make issuance of exit visa clearances faster. They also need to inform affected OFWs about the Balik-Pinay Balik Hanapbuhay Project.

The Secretary said, "You have to already issue certificates of eligibility to these OFWs after orientation and report immediately to the home office the types or nature of livelihood they would want to engage in once they are back so that the NRCO and the OWWA can prepare in advance the package of assistance that fits their needs and deliver this immediately upon their arrival."

 

The NCRO and OWWA are also tasked to make the eligibility requirements for the government program simpler and they should closely coordinate with POLO to guarantee success of the program.

She explained, "If the OFWs are already familiar with their proposed income-generating enterprise, or are already skilled, remove the training requirement so they can immediately start earning. If they request a training, train them and provide them with all the technical assistance when they are already engaged in their income-generating activities."