ILOILO — The provincial government, through its Public Employment Service Office (PESO), has announced readiness to extend support to Ilonggo overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) repatriated from Lebanon due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Cynthia Parcon-Dario, acting head of PESO, said a system is already in place to assist OFWs affected by political unrest, civil wars, natural calamities, employer maltreatment, or health-related incidents.
She detailed various programs under the Overseas Filipinos Migration and Development Center managed by PESO-Iloilo:
* Bulig Ilonggo Help Desk – daily intake of cases from OFWs and their families seeking assistance.
* Financial Assistance to Repatriated OFWs (PAR-OFWs) – provides P10,000 to those who lost jobs due to crises in the host countries
* Psycho-social Support (PRIME) – offers counseling to mitigate the mental impact of crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic
* Expanded Micro-Business Recovery Assistance During Crisis and Emergency (EMBRACE) – loans ranging from P20,000 to P100,000 to help OFWs start or sustain micro-businesses amid socio-economic impacts
* Organization of Ilonggo OFWs – aids in forming cooperatives for easier access to credit, capacity building, and government or NGO programs
* Financial Literacy Programs – educates on migration realities, financial management, and family-related financial challenges
The province’s efforts are complemented by financial assistance from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
PESO-Iloilo has also activated 24/7 emergency hotlines to facilitate communication with OFWs or their relatives regarding the situation of OFWs in Lebanon.
As of now, 49 Ilonggo OFWs have been marked safe, and one has expressed a desire to return home due to proximity to a warzone, although the employer has requested the individual to stay due to illness.
Currently, PESO-Iloilo said, there’s a total of 1,731 active and inactive Ilonggo OFWs in Lebanon, with expectations of an increase as local PESOs and Barangay PESO Coordinators continue to account for OFWs.
Active members are defined as those who have paid the OWWA membership fee for two years, while inactive members have not kept their payments up to date.
Emergency contact numbers for OFWs or their families include PESO at 0961-680-4428, 0917-754-3833, 0916-758-3156, 0910-005-4682, and PDRRMO at 0960-834-8147. Messages can also be sent to the PESO-Province of Iloilo Facebook Page./PN
