Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 1) — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Wednesday said it will ask for more funds as more overseas Filipino workers affected by the COVID-19 crisis seek cash aid.
“Sa dami kasi ng humihingi ng tulong, hihingi kami ng dagdag tulong kay Presidente Duterte,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in a briefing when asked about DOLE’s cash assistance program for OFWs.
[Translation: Since a lot of OFWs have appealed for assistance, we will seek additional help from President Duterte.]
As of mid-June, more than 155,000 overseas Filipino workers received cash aid from the Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong for OFWs or AKAP program of the department.
READ: More than 155,000 OFWs receive cash aid – Roque
Under the program, OFWs who have been displaced due to lockdowns are entitled to a one-time financial assistance worth ₱10,000.
Bello noted that AKAP, which still has a budget of about ₱700 million, received around 500,000 applications for relief.
Earlier, AKAP already got an additional ₱1 billion funding due to surge of aid requests. Initially, ₱1.5 billion budget was allotted for it.
