CEBU CITY, Philippines — Some 326 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have received assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) since January this year.
Mildred Abela, the focal person for the International Social Services Office (ISSO) of DSWD-7, said that her office catered to undocumented OFWs who were in distress or victims of domestic abuse.
“Usa ni ka programa sa DSWD nga nag-implementar sa distress situation sa mga OFWs and their families,” Abela.
(This is one program of the DSWD that can help distressed OFWs and their families.)
She said that undocumented OFWs are those who are overstaying in another country and did renew their membership at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
She said that the distressed OFW or its family might seek assistance from their office for several interventions, such as in helping an OFW to return in the country, referring them for livelihood assistance, among others, in coordination with the other programs of the agency like the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).
Abela said that distressed OFWs were those being repatriated; who was sent home even if their contract had not ended yet; those who experienced maltreatment, sexual, emotional, verbal abuse; victims of illegal recruitment and human trafficking; those who are experiencing problems with their documents; those who committed criminal offenses; and those who were rescued by the Philippine Overseas Labor & Office (POLO).
Aside from this, the agency also provides depression, anxiety, and stress care to OFWs in order to determine their mental status, airport assistance, among others.
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