By Rachel Magday
NUEVA VIZCAYA, Philippines — The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Region II has lauded the Nueva Vizcaya OFW Welfare Center for its role in connecting the agency with overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the province, as the agency awarded livelihood and other assistance to more than 100 distressed migrant workers.
OWWA Region 2 Reintegration Unit Head Alma Chavente said the provincial OFW center has become a crucial link for reaching Novo Vizcayano OFWs who experienced problems while working abroad.
She noted that Nueva Vizcaya is currently the only province in the region with a center that serves both OFWs and their families, improving coordination and response times.
Under the Balik-Pinas, Balik-Hanapbuhay program, qualified beneficiaries received up to P20,000 each in livelihood assistance to help them start small enterprises in their home communities.
Recipients included OFWs repatriated from the Middle East who were affected by the ongoing crisis in the region. Chavente said some beneficiaries also received burial and medical assistance.
Chavente added that beneficiaries previously completed Entrepreneurial Development Training provided by the Department of Trade and Industry to equip them with the skills needed to manage their chosen businesses.
It can be recalled that even Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Undersecretary Atty. Bernard Olalia commended the provincial government for pioneering programs for OFWs, particularly its financial literacy and family support initiatives. Olalia described the measures as a model that other local government units may replicate and praised efforts to institutionalize support for migrant workers through the OFW Welfare Center and complementary family programs.
Gov. Atty. Jose V. Gambito reiterated the provincial government’s unwavering support for OFWs, urging beneficiaries to “invest their earnings abroad wisely.” He highlighted the province’s financial literacy program as a key component of that support,to help OFWs and their families manage remittances responsibly, plan for sustainable livelihoods and avoid common financial pitfalls.
“This program, together with livelihood grants and training, will help turn assistance into lasting financial stability for migrant workers’ families,” Gov. Gambito said.
