DOTr, OWWA sign agreement to help displaced OFWs

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has signed an agreement with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to help displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) find jobs in various transport projects being undertaken nationwide.

The agreement seeks to provide OFWs displaced by the pandemic with employment opportunities in the DOTr through seamless reintegration.

Under the agreement, the DOTr will provide OWWA with a list of vacant positions and skills required where an OFW can apply for work.

The DOTr will also be informing OWWA of other projects that may benefit OFWs.

“This agreement will serve a dual purpose. First, our repatriated OFWs who are out of work will be able to work under the DOTr and they will be here in their own country. They no longer need to go out of the country because work is here at home,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.

“Second, we will not be looking elsewhere in getting the needed work force to finish various infrastructure projects,” Tugade said.

As countries deal with the pandemic, the employment of many OFWs were affected, forcing them to return home, he said.

Tugade urged former OFWs to make use of available employment opportunities, especially those under the government’s Build Build Build initiative.

He said he wanted OFWs and displaced workers in the transport sector to be hired in DOTr projects.

Tugade said he instructed contractors of ongoing projects to prioritize hiring of these individuals, should they be found qualified.

He said 200 former OFWs are employed in the PNR Clark Phase 1 project.

He said 2,000 more jobs would be made available to prioritize not only OFWs, but also displaced public utility drivers and conductors, once the project becomes operational.

‘Jobs abound’

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said despite the pandemic, jobs abound for OFWs.

POEA chief Bernard Olalia said over 15,000 jobs are available during the online job fair to be mounted by the agency on June 12.

Olalia said the POEA is holding the online job fair to commemorate the country’s Independence Day.

Olalia said vacancies are also open for Filipino seafarers.

Jobseekers may visit the POEA website to register and submit digital copy of application as well as requirements.

“Wait for the call of the licensed recruitment agency for the interview,” Olalia said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported that thousands of local jobs are also available for jobseekers.

Data from the DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment showed a total of 1,111 slots open for call center agents and 1,021 for tutors.

DOLE said there are also job openings for production workers, technical support staff and street sweepers as well as machine operators, cashiers, nurses and sales representatives.

Applicants may coordinate with the Public Employment Service Office of their local government unit.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the labor market condition is expected to improve with the rollout of COVID vaccines for essential workers.

Bello attributed the increase in the number of jobless people in April to the imposition of stricter community quarantine.

“This had significantly affected the April 2021 Labor Force Survey (LFS) result as businesses and mobility of workers were again restricted to contain the spread of the virus,” Bello said in a statement.

Results of the LFS undertaken by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed the unemployment rate rising to 4.138 million in April from 3.44 million in March.

The number of underemployed people also rose by 118,000 at 7.45 million from the 7.34 million in March.

Bello urged all workers to get inoculated against COVID and comply with the minimum public health standards as well as occupational safety and health policies.

The DOLE aired support for the safe re-opening of the economy.

It gave assurance that there are ongoing programs to sustain improvement in the labor market.

Major repatriation

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) mounted its largest repatriation of overseas Filipinos since the start of the pandemic that brought home 347 distressed or undocumented Filipinos from Kuwait.

Ambassador Mohd. Noordin Pendosina Lomondot said the chartered Philippine Airlines flight to Kuwait on Thursday was “DFA’s urgent response to the clamor of overseas Filipinos to come home amid the continuing travel restrictions brought about by the pandemic.”

“This is the second special repatriation flight sent by the DFA in 2021 to bring home our kababayans from Kuwait. With 347 passengers, including one medical stretcher case and eight infants, this is the largest ever repatriation of overseas Filipinos in Kuwait since the pandemic began in 2020,” Lomondot said.

Lomondot expressed hope that those who joined the special repatriation flight could start anew upon their return to the Philippines.

He said the special repatriation flight is not the last.

Among the passengers of the special repatriation flight was Pablito Flores, whose battle against cancer amid a travel ban drew widespread support from Filipino community organizations as well as netizens in Kuwait.

Upon arrival in Manila, Flores will be taken to Olongapo City to reunite with his family.

Aside from Flores, the special repatriation flight also included four senior citizens, eight infants, 36 wards from the Kuwaiti Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) Expatriate Shelter in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh Area, 60 OFWs, 74 undocumented Filipinos and 105 detainees from Kuwait’s prison and deportation centers. – Mayen Jaymalin, Pia Lee-Brago