New Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) head Rebecca Calzado personally turned over P1.5 million for earthquake-affected Overseas Foreign Workers (OFWs) in four Bohol towns. Calzado and Gov. Edgar Chatto signed on Friday the Memorandum of Agreement on the implementation of the temporary employment program of OWWA, along with the local chief executives Mayor Sulpicio Yu of Calape, Mayor Ricardo Francisco Toribio of Carmen, Mayor Allen Ray Piezas of Clarin, and Mayor Sofronio Apat, Sr. of Dagohoy. This is the second wave of the Cash for Work Assistance Program of OWWA which will benefit OFWs who are active OWWA members and their families through 15 days of clearing, reconstruction, and rehabilitation work, for which each worker receives P279 a day. Calzado joined by Regional Director Wilfreda Misterio also turned over on the same occasion the funds totaling P1,505,790 to mayors and municipal treasures for 74 workers in Calape, 98 workers in Carmen, 115 workers in Clarin, and 51 workers in Dagohoy.

The new OWWA administrator said rehabilitation efforts in Bohol are very commendable and congratulated Chatto, whose leadership the President speaks highly of. Chatto, for his part, thanked OWWA for its consistent partnership with Bohol in the pursuit of programs that protect the welfare of OFWs, recognizing the OFW sector as an important contributor to the economy and the community. Mayors also echoed the same gratitude to OWWA as its assistance ensures that all sectors are covered in the recovery efforts. The signing and turnover was witnessed by Romy Tagaan, head of the Bohol Employment and Placement Office (BEPO), institutionalized under which is the OFW Desk, an innovation that facilitates connections of OFWs and their families through coordination with OWWA, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and related agencies. OWWA said there are over 30,000 OFWs in Bohol, making up 20% of the OFW population in the Central Visayas region. The first wave of the temporary employment program amounting to P1.8M was launched on March 24 for the towns of Antequera, Balilihan, Catigbian, Maribojoc, and Loon. Calzado also said with the Philippines being disaster-prone, the agency is now looking into making the assistance program a regular feature. (Leah Sumampong)