BACOLOD City – The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) vowed to pay its P25-million unpaid bills to hotels here that housed returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who had to undergo temporary quarantine.
Cong. Greg Gasataya said he was informed by OWWA administrator Hans Leo Cacdac that the agency will pay the remaining balance this week.
OWWA made an initial payment of P10 million, Cacdac also told Gasataya.
Gasataya said he was informed by Councilor Israel Salanga, chair of the Action Team on Returning OFWs, that there is a possibility hotels will no longer accommodate OFWs should OWWA fail to settle its financial obligations.
Twenty-one hotels and inns here serve as quarantine facilities for returning OFWs, in compliance with health protocols to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19.)
To recall, Councilor Renecito Novero, chairman of the Quarantine Center Action Team (QCAT), asked OWWA for a moratorium on the return of OFWs due to the unsettled bills with hotels.
OWWA Region 6 director Rizza Moldes approved the travel ban for returning OFWs in this city effective Aug. 3.
Nationwide as of July 30, a total of 114,291 have been reunited with their families in their respective provinces since the government provided them transportation assistance since mid-May, Cacdac said.
Of the number, the batch from May 25 to 31 recorded the highest number with 25,002, followed by those transported from June 22 to 28 (10,231); July 6 to 12 (10,163); June 29 to July 5 (9,113); and May 15 to 24, (8,922).
A total of 8,902 OFWs were transported to their respective homelands from June 1 to 7; some 7,279 OFWs from June 8 to 14; and 6,782 OFWs from June 15 to 21.
The rest were sent home on July 13 (1,648); July 14 (1,424); July 15 (1,186); July 16 (1,812); July 17 (1,547); July 18 (1,691); July 19 (1,193); July 20 (1,108); and July 21 (1,064).
More returning OFWs were transported back to their homes on July 22 (1,395); July 23 (1,286); July 24 (2,305); July 25 (2,246); July 26 (2,142); July 27 (3,035); July 28 (2,024); and July 29 (1,223).
The OWWA is part of a 24/7 inter-agency effort that transports and helps OFWs return to their home regions./PN
