AFP file photo
Expecting a surge in the number of requests for repatriation from distressed and stranded Overseas Filipino Workers scattered in various regions in the country, DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Ano directed all DILG regional directors and field officers, BARMM minister of local government and other concerned to establish the “DILG Overseas Filipino Workers’ (OFW) Desk and the designation of DILG-OFW Desk Officer at the region, province, highly urbanized city (HUC) and independent component city (ICC)”.
The Department Memo Circular No.2020-075, dated April 23, 2020 was in line with the Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) Resolution 14, series of 2020 which amended a part of Resolution no.1, series of 2020 to “include the accommodation of distressed OFWs.”
The Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) provides the guidelines for the distressed OFWs, in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Health (DOH). OWWA, under Resolution 1, has been “authorized to issue the certifications it may deem appropriate to the concerned OFW.”
The designated OFW-Desk Officers are “directed to monitor all returning OFWs within their areas of jurisdiction.” OFW-DO makes the proper coordination with the local chief executive and provide the necessary information about the said worker.
The Desk Officer must also ensure that the LGU will provide all the necessary assistance while monitoring the health status of the concerned OFW through the City/ Municipal Health Workers. The OFW-DO is also tasked to prepare and submit reports to the Secretary of DILG, through the Emergency Operations Center.
As a response, DILG XII Regional Director Josephine Cabrido-Leysa, CESO III, immediately dispatched an advisory to all the Provincial Directors, City Director of Gen. Santos City and the City Local Government Operations Officer of Cotabato City to establish the OFW Desk and require the submission of the names and contact details of the designated Desk Officers by April 25.
Director Leysa said that the request for repatriation in the past few days had been ‘overwhelming’ as “the number of these distressed workers are in dire situation, having spent all their money when they got caught in the lockdown in Metro Manila, Cebu and other major destinations,” added Dir. Leysa.
Just this week, stranded OFWs from Cebu who are residents of Region XII were accommodated in a “mercy flight” arranged by the Office of Civil Defense and OWWA. The said passengers were given priority due to their frail and delicate condition. Three were in various stages of pregnancy while another was a cancer patient. The others include the husband of one of the pregnant passengers.
Returning OFWs will be automatically subjected to another round of quarantine proceedings as part of the Region’s safeguard against Covid 19. Dir. Leysa thinks that it is “a small sacrifice to make in exchange for the safety of everyone in the Region.”
In her advisory, Dir. Leysa clarified that the OFW-Desk Officer to be designated to the component city and municipality shall be the city/ municipal local government operations officer. Region XII is comprised of four provinces, 45 municipalities, one HUC (Gen. Santos City) and one ICC (Cotabato City). ##
