The ACTS-OFW Partylist has lauded President Rodrigo Duterte for his decision to grant a one-time P30,000 cash assistance for the education needs of some 33,000 children of repatriated or displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are in college.
ACTS-OFW Partylist Chairman John Bertiz III said the government’s cash assistance to college-level children of OFWs will go a long way in ensuring that they continue to study despite being affected by the new coronavirus pandemic.
“This is a big help for our cash-strapped OFWs.”
“I thank our President for his kind gesture. Truly, he is a father to all of us, understanding our struggles in trying to make both ends meet especially during this time of the pandemic,” he said.
“On behalf of our OFWs here and abroad, particularly those who were repatriated and those who were displaced, allow me to extend our deepest gratitude for this educational cash assistance. This is a big help for our cash-strapped OFWs,” he added.
Last Aug. 31, President Duterte announced that his administration is allotting PhP1 billion to finance the subsidy for the dependents of displaced, non-returning or deceased OFWs due to the coronavirus disease.
Under the Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education, the project is organized by the Commission on Higher Education, along with the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
“TESDA is also offering a scholarship program for repatriated OFWs and their dependents.”
Bertiz, who is currently the Deputy Director-General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), also encouraged repatriated or displaced OFWs and their dependents to avail of the agency’s free online skills training courses.
“TESDA is also offering a scholarship program for repatriated OFWs and their dependents. To date, it is also providing 71 skills training courses online and free of charge to everyone, including OFWs,” he said.
According to Bertiz, OFWs and their dependents should visit the OFW Desks in international airports as well as OFW Malasakit Desks in all TESDA regional, provincial and district offices and training schools to find out programs for them.
Government figures show that, as of August 2020, more than 170,000 repatriated OFWs have already been returned to their provinces.