A bill has been filed at the House of Representatives proposing a scholarship program for immediate dependents of sea-based and land-based overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have either died or were permanently disabled while working abroad.
House Bill (HB) 8490, introduced by Marino party-list Rep. Sandro Gonzalez on May 31, specifies that an immediate dependent is an unmarried, not gainfully employed child of an OFW, whether they are legitimate, legitimated, or legally adopted.
The legislation particularly emphasizes that dependents have the eligibility to pursue educational courses or training, primarily in the field of science and technology. Notably, the bill encompasses both documented and undocumented OFWs.
To fund the scholarship initiative, the bill proposes an initial budgetary allocation of P100 million.
Highlighting the importance and contributions of the OFWs, the explanatory note of the bill cites figures from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which indicated that in 2022, personal cash remittances from OFWs amounted to a significant US$36.14 billion, representing 8.9% of the Philippines’ gross domestic product.
It’s worth noting that on September 6, 2022, another similar bill, HB 4467, was filed by Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas of Quezon City’s 5th District. This bill also aims to establish an educational scholarship for the dependents of affected OFWs, with an emphasis on education in the science and technology sectors.