DMW financial assistance to distressed OFWs and their families

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has recently announced the increase in the amount of financial assistance allocated to distressed Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and members of their families.

In a hindsight, the initiative is under the DMW Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFWs na Nangangailangan abbreviated as DMW AKSYON Fund, a scheme intended to give immediate financial assistance to OFWs and their families experiencing the following circumstances:

• distressful situations;
• economic downturn;
• natural disasters or human-induced emergencies;
• human-trafficking; and
• other ill-fated situations.

The DMW financial assistance may be used by the OFWs for legal, medical, financial and other forms of assistance. The DMW financial assistance shall also include repatriation, shipment of human remains, evacuation, rescue and any other analogous form of assistance attempting to protect the rights of Filipino nationals.

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The DMW financial assistance amount may vary and shall be applicable to OFWs depending on the situation or circumstances they are in. The list is differentiated below:

Fifty thousand pesos (Php50,000)

This DMW financial assistance amount shall be applicable to OFWs who are severely affected and/or displaced due to:

• economic downturn recession in the host country;
• bankruptcy of the company pr employer;
• involuntary separation from employment due to retrenchment or downsizing;
• closure or cessation of operation, redundancy;
• OFWs who are victims of abuses, exploitation, maltreatment, or contract violations;
• OFWs who are victims of illegal recruitment or human trafficking;
• OFWs who are victims of natural calamities in the host countries;
• next of kin of incarcerated OFWs serving their sentence.

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Seventy-five thousand pesos (Php75,000)

Meanwhile, this DMW financial assistance amount shall be available for OFWs with:

• severe/serious illness, injury or mental health condition;
• OFWs who experience abuse/exploitation resulting to physical disability, injuries, or mental health condition;
• OFWS displaced due to war, political unrest and/or other extraordinary circumstances; and
• next of kin of OFWs in death row.

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One hundred thousand pesos (Php100,000)

Lastly, this DMW financial assistance shall be up for grabs for:

• next of kin of OFWs who passed away in the host country due to natural or accidental causes; and
• next of kin of OFWs who passed away within one (1) year from arrival in the Philippines.

The DMW financial assistance mode of payment shall be released in various forms including:

• onsite through the Migrant Workers Office (MWO);
• at the airport upon arrival of the OFWs;
• at the DMW Central Office and its Regional Offices; and
• through bank transfer, cash, money remittance or any other cost-effective mode.

The DMW financial assistance that will incur bank charges or remittance costs and other related administrative expenses will be shouldered by the DMW AKSYON Fund.

Source: Department of Migrant Workers 

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