Financial support has been arranged for dozens of Filipinos forced out of their residences in Hong Kong following a deadly fire late last month, according to officials from the House of Representatives.
Agimat party-list Representative Bryan Revilla traveled to the city over the weekend and met with Filipino workers who lost their homes in the Nov. 26 incident. He said the visit was made on the instruction of Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III.
The House said roughly 60 Filipino workers were displaced in the blaze that struck a residential compound. It also disclosed that Dy “authorized the release of financial assistance to each OFW affected by the fire, with the funds to be deposited directly into their accounts.”
Revilla told the group, “Even if you are not in our country, we are still here to give you help,” as he relayed the chamber’s support.
In addition to financial aid for those who survived, the speaker’s office will extend assistance to the relatives of Mary Ann Esteban, who died in the incident. Revilla said her remains would be repatriated to the Philippines this week at no cost to the family.
The lawmaker’s team included volunteer mental health specialists to help affected workers deal with the emotional impact of the experience, according to a House statement.
It added that “Revilla thanked Hong Kong-based OFWs for inspiring him to do more and to push for additional legislation that will benefit the OFW community.”
Revilla also addressed the group’s concerns directly, saying, “If you need anything, if you have concerns, please do let us know. We are here to help you.”
