Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 2)— Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello has requested for an additional ₱7.5 billion for the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration’s repatriation efforts, the agency said on Thursday.
In an interview with CNN Philippines, OWWA chief Hans Cacdac said the request was made in July.
Cacdac added the Budget department released on Wednesday ₱3.3 billion which would cover repatriation expenses until October.
“The ₱7.5 billion will be utilized from mid-September to December 31,” Cacdac said.
This is not the first time OWWA asked for an augmentation in its evacuation funds due to the influx of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In May, OWWA also asked for an additional ₱5.2 billion budget to sustain its efforts.
The government is shouldering the hotel, meal, and transportation expenses of arriving OFWs.
Gov’t spends ₱15,000 to ₱40,000 per returning OFW
OWWA said the government spends an average of ₱15,000 to ₱40,000 for every returning OFW.
This will cover their hotel quarantine, the daily meals, and their transport back to their home provinces.
“Depende on an average, ₱15,000 to ₱20,000 ang nagagastos sa bawat OFW, pero kapag galing UAE or countries na kailangan 14 days ang quarantine pwedeng umabot ng ₱35,000 to ₱40,000,” he explained.
[Translation: The average cost depends on the situation. We spend ₱15,000 to ₱20,000 for each OFW. But if they’re coming from the UAE or countries where the requirement is 14 days of quarantine, this can reach ₱35,000 to ₱40,000.]
Cacdac said around 10,500 OFWs are currently in hotel quarantine facilities nationwide. Of the number, 8,500 are isolated in 178 facilities in Metro Manila.
