P80M spent for Israel OFW repatriation efforts

OVER a month since war broke out between Israel and the Hamas militant group, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has spent about P80 million from the agency’s Aksyon Funds to aid repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

“We are (expecting) more to avail of the repatriation efforts,” said DMW officer-in-charge Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac in a virtual press briefing on Friday.

DMW is providing repatriated OFWs with financial assistance as soon as they arrive in the country, and livelihood and reintegration assistance.

So far, 264 OFWs have returned from Israel since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.

Cacdac said at least 83 OFWs in Israel will be repatriated in the coming days.

Cacdac also P725 million remains in the DMW’s Aksyon Funds.

“It is still a sizeable amount… There are still a few weeks ahead of us before 2023 ends,” he said.

Of the P474 million spent from the Aksyon Funds, P240 million went to direct financial assistance of P30,000 to some 7,000 OFW beneficiaries, and P137 million for OFW legal assistance involving some 1,200 cases abroad.