Reklamo sa amo? Wagas na kaltas, atpb.? ISUMBONG SA DOLE HOTLINE 1349 PRRD REFILLS OFW RELIEF FUND PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has approved the release of P5 billion as an additional fund to help in the repatriation and photo by Dodong Echavez, IPS financial support programs for overseas Filipino workers affected by the COVID-19 TRIBUTE: Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin lead officials in a recent tribute to honor OFWs who perished abroad due to COVID-19 and other causes. pandemic. P2 Repatriation of fallen OFWs 'more Recruitment agencies ordered than a gov't duty' – Bello to help stranded hires THE massive repatriation of overseas month. Filipino workers, including those who Bello made the statement as officials LICENSED recruitment agencies their respective processed OFWs whose have perished in their work places held an arrival tribute for 72 remains of are now required to assist applicants deployments were deferred due to abroad, amid the global health crisis is OFWs from Saudi Arabia last August 28, for overseas jobs who were stranded community quarantine restrictions. more than a duty of government, Labor the fourth batch to be repatriated from locally due to quarantine restrictions, POEA also instructed PRAs Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said. to help overseas employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III said late this P2 In order to provide relief to applicants currently housed in their legitimate manpower exporters, Bello accommodations and those who were also ordered suspension of private promised or assured employment recruitment agencies’ (PRA) payment assistance. Government mandates free of additional escrow deposit for two “All PRAs are directed to assist years to help them cope with the impact the locally stranded individuals, of the pandemic. which shall include but not limited swab tests for all workers According to Bello, the governing to, temporary accommodation or WORKERS in the hospitality and tourism cost to the employees,” Bello said. board of the Philippine Overseas shelter, food, COVID-19 test, and sectors, manufacturing companies, Describing the measure which took Employment Administration (POEA) transportation back to their respective including frontline and economic priority effect last August 12, he said: “This is so far approved in August separate resolutions provinces,” Bello said. employees, will be required to undergo the most comprehensive set of guidelines directing all PRAs to help their stranded Non-compliance with the reportorial regular RT-PCR test to prevent the spread for the safety and protection of workers applicants, and allowing the withdrawal requirement, wilful neglect or failure by of COVID-19 in workplaces, the labor and employees in workplaces. The strict of their escrow deposits in excess of P1 the licensed recruitment and manning department said. observance of these health protocols will million. Bello heads the POEA board. agencies to provide assistance without Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said make a big difference in our long-drawn Under POEA Governing Board just cause will warrant their suspension this is contained in Joint Memorandum battle to defeat COVID- 19 and ensure the Resolution No. 11, private recruitment and other sanctions the POEA may Circular No. 20-04, a supplemental productivity of the Filipino workforce.'” agencies are ordered to act on issues or deem necessary. guideline on workplace prevention and Identified to take real-time reverse complaints brought to their attention In GB Resolution No. 10, meanwhile, control of COVID-19 both issued by the transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and to closely monitor and to submit licensed agencies will no longer be DTI and DOLE. or RT–PCR test, are workers in the tourist report on the status and condition of P3 “The COVID-19 testing must be at no P2 Photo by NLRC photo by DOLE RO-6 photo by Dodong Echavez, IPS photo by Dodong Echaves, IPS AGENCIES REGIONS OVERSEAS GOOD NEWS POEA readies Campaign Mind wellness Japan eases global eye vs child labor in Macau restrictions for OFWs P5 beefed up P6 P7 for Pinoy workers P8 2 August 2020 PRRD REFILLS Returned workers OFW RELIEF top 170K FUND RETURNING overseas The news was recently OFWs to their home provinces Filipino workers (OFWs) announced by Labor Secretary once they test negative of the who were assisted by the Silvestre Bello III who said, virus. labor department in going “Dahil po mahal na mahal ni Aside from the OWWA home to their respective Pangulong Duterte ang ating assistance, DOLE also extends a provinces already stands mga bagong bayani, ibinigay po one-time P10,000, or $200, cash at 170,000 as of end nya ang kailangan nating dagdag aid under its Abot-Kamay Ang August. na pondo para sa repatriation at Pagtulong Program (DOLE- In a report to Labor tulong para sa ating mga OFW.” AKAP) to pandemic-affected Secretary Silvestre Bello Bello said the bulk of the OFWs, both on-site and those III, Administrator Hans additional P5 billion fund will be stranded in the country. Leo Cacdac of the released to the Overseas Workers The initial amount of P2.5 photo by Dodong Echavez, IPS Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) billion for the DOLE-AKAP Welfare Administration which undertakes the repatriation program is nearing depletion, as it said the month of August of OFWs displaced on-site due was utilized to provide assistance meant to benefit only 250,000. the AKAP program and more alone was capped with to lockdowns and closure of to more than 243,000 land- Total aid requests received by overseas workers will be 55,709 OFWs making their establishments overseas. based and sea-based workers, DOLE’s foreign offices and repatriated and provided with way home after testing Aside from repatriation with disbursements already OWWA now stand at 617,431. assistance. negative for COVID-19. assistance, OWWA shoulders the amounting to P2.4.92 billion as of Bello had requested P2.5 “I have directed our POLOs Before they left for cost of COVID tests for OFWs the end of this month. billion additional fund to to accelerate the processing of the provinces they upon their arrival in the country, So far, DOLE’s Philippine augment the requirements of the assistance so that a greater were all provided with as well as their food and hotel Overseas Labor Offices and about 597,469 OFWs seeking number of our OFWs can avail accommodations while awaiting OWWA had processed and government assistance. of the aid from government,” he assistance and temporary their test results. This also approved the applications of With the additional funding, said. accommodations while includes the cost of transporting 280,253 OFWs under the program more OFWs will benefit from waiting for their viral test results. OWWA also arranged transportation are highly encouraged to provide for their safe return to the Government mandates free swab tests for all workers . from P1 telemedicine services, in the provinces. The government has zones, local manufacturing special concern areas must be Under the joint memorandum absence of an HMO. been providing quarantine companies, transport and logistics, tested once every quarter. These circular, face shields must cover “We encourage large and accommodations, food food retail, education, financial include workers in transport and the entire face. Cloth masks with medium private establishments services, non-food retail, services, logistics, food retail, education, an additional filter such as tissue or those with multiple tenants, to and other assistance to all public market, construction; financial services, non-food retail, paper or similar material may be designate an isolation area of one repatriated OFWs since water supply, sewerage, and and those in the services sector. used as long as they are clean and room for every 200 employees, May and has so far sent waste management; public sector, The joint memorandum covers washed daily. On the other hand, which shall be a separate area home a total of 173,088 and mass media. all establishments, projects, sites, masks with vent and visor-types other than the company clinic,” to their destinations as of The guidelines specifically including establishments located are not allowed to be used. Bello said. August 29. mandate all employees in the inside special economic zones Bello said employers Private establishments unable Aside from the hospitality and tourism sectors in and other investment promotion classified as large and medium- to establish an isolation area OWWA assistance, DOLE El Nido, Boracay, Coron, Panglao, agencies, and all other places sized private establishments, may make arrangements with also extends a one-time Siargao, and other tourist zones, where work is being undertaken or those with total assets above a temporary treatment and P10,000 or $200 cash as identified and declared by in all branches of economic P15 million, are enjoined to monitoring facility nearby or with aid under AKAP to the barangay authority while the Department of Tourism, to activity, except in the public provide shuttle services to their pandemic-affected OFWs, malls and buildings must have at undergo testing once every four sector. employees. Windows of shuttle both on-site and those least one isolation area near their weeks. Aside from the regular testing, service must also be opened at stranded in the country. Based on the guidelines, DOLE and DTI also mandate least three inches while in transit. entrances. employees of manufacturing the wearing of face mask and Adequate ventilation must companies and public service face shield and provision of be strictly enforced inside the providers in economic zones disinfection materials and workplace and installation of Repatriation of fallen OFWs "more located within Special Concern supplies in strategic areas in exhaust fans and air filtration Areas must be tested once every workplaces, including company devices is encouraged. than a gov't duty – Bello .