Filipinos working abroad without proper documentation need not fear legal consequences when they return home, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration said Tuesday, as the government steps up evacuation efforts across the Middle East.
OWWA Deputy Administrator Jasmine Ann Gapatan stressed that protection extends to all overseas Filipino workers regardless of their employment status. “Gusto ko lang pong ipaalala sa lahat na ang mandato po ng Department of Migrant Workers ay protektahan po ang lahat ng OFWs documented or undocumented… So, wala pong consequences po or negative implications po sa inyo,” she said in an interview with Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.
Hundreds of workers have already been brought home under the agency’s ongoing repatriation operations. Gapatan cited recent flights from Bahrain and Dubai, with another batch expected from Kuwait. “Just yesterday, meron po dumating na 153 na OFWs na unang dumating mula po sa Bahrain. Ito ay isang commercial flight kung saan OWWA po ang bumili ng ticket. Ito po ay sinundan naman ng 344 na katao mula sa Dubai na papauwiin at sa April 15 po ay 321 people po from Kuwait,” she said.
Gapatan said the agency has sufficient funds to cover food assistance, hygiene support, and provincial transportation for returning workers, and is also developing a reintegration and skills upgrade initiative for those who have come home. “Para meron po silang peace of mind na mariri-integrate po sila… at magkakaroon sila ng mabuting buhay when they go… we are looking at a step-up program wherein we are going to upskill and reskill our OFWs when they go back here,” she said.
On the situation in Lebanon, Gapatan confirmed that no Filipino in Beirut has been killed, though the Philippine Embassy has suspended travel advisories to the country and is facilitating voluntary repatriation. “So the Philippine Embassy is facilitating repatriation and advising against travel to Lebanon due to the high risk… while no Filipino in Beirut had been killed, our ambassador there has warned that conflict could [arise],” she said.
Meanwhile, OWWA continues to encourage undocumented workers to regularize their status so they can access the full range of government assistance programs available to repatriated OFWs.
