OVERWHELMED with applications from displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has ordered the suspension of the one-time cash assistance under the DOLE-AKAP for OFWs program.
In an interview on Wednesday, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said: “We have already put on hold the program because we already have (exceeded) our allocation, which is only for 150,000 OFWs. We will have to stop accepting applications.”
Based on data provided by DOLE, they have already received a total of 409,020 applications for DOLE-AKAP.
Of the total applications filed, the government has approved 142,550 to receive the P10,000 or $200 cash assistance.
Bello said they have already disbursed a total of P1.117 billion in cash assistance to 109,182 OFWs as of May 12. The program has an allotted P1.5 billion funding for 150,000 OFWs.
Bello said they have already sought for an additional P2.5 billion budget from the Office of the President, possibly to be sourced from the Special Amelioration Program, for them to be able to provide cash aid to the other applicants.
“They are contributing a lot to our economy. This is the first time that we can be able to repay them for their annual contribution to the economy,” he said.
“Hopefully, our leaders will be touched and give the additional funding. Hopefully, this will answer for the needs of more OFWs displaced as a result of COVID-19,” he added.
