(POLITIKO) Senator Jinggoy Estrada has called on the government to provide livelihood assistance to Filipino workers displaced by the conflict in Sudan.
According to Estrada, many of these displaced Filipinos will likely have minimal savings and would need assistance for alternative employment when they return home.
Estrada, chair of the Senate panel on labor and employment, addressed the appeal to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
“Asahan na natin na karamihan sa mga OFWs na napilitang umuwi ng wala sa oras dahil sa tumitinding kaguluhan sa Sudan ay walang ipon. Baka matagalan pa bago sila makapag-relocate para makipagsapalaran sa ibang bansa. For the meantime, makabubuti siguro na mabahagian sila ng tulong ng gobyerno. May nakalaan tayong pondo para sa mga katulad nilang distressed o displaced OFWs,” Estrada said.
Around 325 OFWs in Sudan have requested the government for repatriation from the war-torn country.
The livelihood aid for the Filipinos repatriated from Sudan could be sourced from government funds, said Estrada. He mentioned the allocation of P431 million under OWWA’s Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay Program (BPBH) in this year’s national budget.
“May programa ang gobyerno na makakatulong sa mga kagaya nila na nawalan ng trabaho sa ibang bansa at mainam na mabigyan sila ng ng ganitong klase ng ayuda ng sa gayon ay patuloy nilang matustusan ang gastusin ng kanilang pamilya,” he said.
“Sa ganitong paraan, hindi sila daragdag sa bilang ng mga unemployed nating mga kababayan,” he added.