Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III. (Screengrab from Laging Handa briefing)
MANILA – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is set to ask for additional budget from President Rodrigo Duterte to be able to assist more displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) applying for cash assistance under its Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (AKAP) program.
In a Laging Handa briefing on Wednesday, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said there are some 500,000 Filipinos applying for the one-time cash aid of USD200 (PHP10,000).
“There are about 500,000 more applying for assistance that’s the reason why we would like to ask again for additional funds,” he said.
He, however, said they still have funds worth PHP700 million left for the program.
“We still have about PHP700 million given by the President, that is why we are still accepting applications. Because there are so many OFWs who would like to avail of the assistance, we will ask the President for additional funds,” he added.
Bello said he is confident that Duterte will approve their request since he is compassionate to all Filipinos working abroad.
“I’m confident because he super loves our OFWs,” he added.
The cash assistance is given to Filipino workers abroad and those stranded in the country due to the community quarantine implementation to stop the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
A budget of PHP2.5 billion had been released under the AKAP program which has so far benefitted close to 200,000 OFWs. (PNA)
