DBM chief: Logistics, not budget, hampers repatriation efforts

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad on Monday defended the Aquino administration from criticisms regarding the government’s efforts to reach Filipinos in strife-torn countries. In a statement, Abad said logistics, and not budget, hampered these efforts as he ensured that there are enough funds allocated for such undertaking. “We must understand that there are places abroad that cannot be accessed immediately to rescue our nationals, and there are political conflicts that continue to escalate," Abad said. He said the emergencies, such as the political strife in the Middle East and the natural disasters that rocked Japan, were unforeseen events. “But the government is reassuring the public that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is on top of the situation," he said. According to Abad, the government has so far allocated P729.2 million to fund the ongoing emergency repatriation activities of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) caught in conflict areas in the Middle East and North Africa. Around P500 million of the amount was from the OFW Trust Fund approved by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Board of Trustees, he said. He also said that P169.2 million is being used from the Assistance to Nationals (ATN) fund of the DFA, P89.9 million of which came from its 2010 Continuing Appropriations Fund. The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) also released recently P50 million to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for the ongoing repatriation activities. The budget is in addition to DOLE’s P10 million 2010 Continuing Appropriations Fund that is being utilized by the department to help distressed OFWs. As of March 10, P459.9 million from the P729.2 million allocated funds for the repatriation have been spent by the government for the ongoing repatriation drive. Abad said that upon instruction of President Benigno Aquino III, DOLE, DFA, OWWA and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) have closely been working together to assist distressed OFWs in the Middle East and Japan. He also explained that the P500 million OWWA fund for the repatriation is being used for both documented and undocumented OFWs caught in conflict in Middle East. The OFW Trust Fund being used to assist undocumented OFWs will be reimbursed later on by the government after accounting for its use. “After the repatriation operations and after DFA have accounted for how much OWWA funds they have used to rescue undocumented workers, OWWA can be reimbursed using the ATN fund, or if needed, from the Contingency Fund or available savings," Abad said. The P50-million fund released to DOLE will be used for the relocation to pre-designated holding areas of OFWs in Middle East such as the Philippine School in Tripoli and the Philippine School in Benghazi, both in Libya. It will also be used for the evacuation by land from relocation areas to exit points in Tunisia (from Tripoli) and Alexandria, Egypt (from Benghazi). Likewise, this fund will be used for the airfare of evacuated OFWs to Manila via Qatar Airways and Philippine Airlines. DOLE earlier ordered the implementation of all its reintegration programs and services to assist the distressed OFWs arriving from Libya and to mitigate the socio-economic effects of their dislocation on their families. Agencies are likewise attending to the families of Filipinos in Libya, briefing them about measures being undertaken to safeguard their loved ones. - Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, GMA News