MANILA, Philippines - The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) assured on Friday that it will provide financial help to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Libya.

 

The agency said it is acting on a directive from Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz on the issuance of relief assistance to the Filipino workers. 

 

Many of the OFWs have already availed of the P10,000 assistance upon their arrival, the OWWA said in a press statement.

 

The agency added that as of 1:30 p.m. on Friday, more than P10 million have been disbursed to claimants. 

 

This assistance is granted to those OFWs who were displaced from work due to the political conflict and natural calamities of their host countries, OWWA said.

 

The government’s crisis management and quick response team has been coordinating closely with the companies and the Filipino groups in Libya to help those who want to go home. 

 

Malta, Crete and Cairo are the 3 hubs of take-off points of transport for OFWs, the OWWA said. 

 

The Tripoli-Tunisia border closed Thursday as the Tunis people fear that they may become vulnerable to the disturbance in Libya. 

 

Those OFWs who are still in the Tunis border will be transported to the neighboring city of Cairo, according to the agency.

 

OWWA said assistance for the displaced OFWs includes psycho-social counseling, skills training and upgrading, referral and placement assistance for local and overseas employment, entrepreneurial and management training, and business loans in coordination with the Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines.