A total of 1,035 individuals from Saudi Arabia were given assistance by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) from June 13 to June 20. The assistance is inclusive of airport fare, cash and food.
The 90-day amnesty program which started March 29 was offered by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia dubbed as “Nation without Illegal Expatriates” for the undocumented Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and other foreign residents who want to go back to their countries of origin.
In an interview with Assistant Secretary Hjayceelyn Quintana for Middle East and African Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are about 15,000 Filipinos that are qualified to avail of the amnesty.
The latest batches of amnesty availees were assisted by the DSWD Central and National Capital Region Office, and Social Welfare Attache Office (SWATO). The biggest batch of amnesty availees since April 17 was assisted on June 13. There were 58 families composed of 52 mothers, 10 fathers and 85 children. SWATO served food worth P35,000 and disbursed P290,000 during that day.
“The DSWD with its limited resources is doing its best to give what assistance it can within its mandate to all Filipino families who want to return to the Philippines from the Middle East. All the government agencies—Department of Labor and Employment and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration are closely working together to bring immediate assistance for the OFWs and their families,” Secretary Judy Taguiwalo said.
The Department has so far disbursed a total of P1.9 million for 392 families composed of 263 mothers, 603 children, and 69 fathers. In addition, DSWD provided assistance to repatriates from Malaysia on June 9 to 11 with a total of 59 individuals including their children.
“The department is on stand-by to provide local and overseas opportunities for the repatriated OFWs to help them meet the needs of their families upon returning back in the country. DSWD will offer a hand through its various programs such as Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) and the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). We also seek the cooperation of other government agencies and the private sector to help returning OFWs, so we can immediately deliver the needed assistance of the families,” Sec. Taguiwalo.
The department is expecting three more flights on June 24, 26 and 29 from Riyadh with estimated 179 mothers and children will be repatriated. #
