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Pinoy Abroad

Migrant group wants jobs, not doleouts, for Libya repatriates


A migrant group urged the government to provide job opportunities, not only P10,000 in relief assistance, to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) repatriated from strife-torn Libya. Migrante media officer Sarah Maramag relayed the group’s sentiments on Tuesday, the same day the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) said almost all the repatriated OFWs from Libya have availed of the financial relief package. OWWA reported that 8,696 repatriates out of a total number of close to 9,000, have availed of the financial assistance. The agency said it has so far released P86.96 million for the relief program. “Huwag nilang ipagmalaki na may P10,000 na one-time, big-time package (They should not be too cocky about granting P10,000 in a one-time, big-time package)," Maramag said in an interview with GMA News Online. Explaining that OWWA sourced the funds from OFW contributions, the Migrante official added, “It’s not even from the government." Calling the government’s attention to the long-term need for stable employment, Maramag noted that some repatriates who availed of the P10,000-aid have used up almost the entire amount to pay their debts and to sustain their day-to-day needs. OWWA agrees Meanwhile, OWWA administrator Carmelita Dimzon expressed her agreement with the activist group. “Totoo naman (It’s true). They should not depend on dole-outs," Dimzon said in another interview with GMA News Online. “We are glad that Migrante came out with that statement." Dimzon, however, continued to uphold the importance of the temporary financial aid. “We think that the P10,000 is something that will tide them over," she said. In a statement on Monday, OWWA trained the spotlight on the agency’s livelihood assistance and employment programs for displaced OFWs, in the form of job referrals, possible deployment abroad, and entrepreneurial training programs of the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO). OWWA also offers legal assistance for the displaced workers, the agency said. OWWA added that it has already provided reintegration assistance packages to 1,832 OFWs affected by the Libyan crisis, or 21 percent of the repatriates from the North African country. Offering more than 6,000 employment opportunities, a job fair from March 18 to 20 also primarily caters to displaced OFWs from Libya. Maramag, however, remained skeptical about the benefits of the job fair because the vacancies may entail working abroad and in countries experiencing conflicts like Libya. “Sana may trabaho dito sa sariling bayan (We need employment opportunities within the Philippines itself)," she said. – VVP, GMA News

Tags: migrants, libya, jobs