A top official from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Dubai announced in a Facebook live interview that only 17,000 displaced OFWs in Dubai shall receive the AED730 one-time cash assistance.
So far, the agency has only given the cash assistance to 6,924 OFWs in Dubai and the Northern Emirates who have been either terminated due to Covid-19 or on no-work-no-pay scheme.
“We have to consider that everything would all depend on the budget kasi yung iba, sinasabihan kami na paasa but that’s why we are telling that we are only good for the 17,000 Filipino workers until such time that we can receive or meron tayong matanggap ulit na instruction na madagdagan. But at the moment, tayo ay nasa 17,000 Filipino workers allocation,” Labor Attache Felicitas Bay said.
She also clarified that the Php2.5 budget that was recently announced by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is not solely for Dubai.
“Nabbibigla kami doon sa sinasabi na ‘Nasaan na yung Php1.5 billion? POLO Dubai, ilabas niyo yung Php1.5 bullion!’ Wala po kaming ilalabas kasi wala naman pong pinadala sa amin na Php1.5 billion. Wala ding padala sa amin na Php1 billion. There are so many labor offices worldwide, I think there are 38 or 39 offices worldwide and some offices have their oversight jurisdiction. Alam po natin na maramig nangangailangan ang ating mga kababayan at alam natin ang sitwasyon. Ramdan na ramdam po namin ang sitwasyon. Subalit kailangan din po naming sumunod sa patakaran at proseso na ibinigay sa amin ng pamahalaan,” she added.
