James Dy spearheads P2 million aid for repatriation of Hong Kong OFWs

MANILA, Philippines — Philanthropist James Dy has offered to donate P2 million to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) through his organizations – the Filipino Chinese General Chamber of Commerce Inc. (FCGCCI) and the Philippine Chinese Charitable Association Inc. (PCCAI) – for the repatriation of COVID-hit overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong.

Currently, there is a surge of COVID Omicron cases in Hong Kong, which has resulted in limited health and quarantine facilities as its health system has become overwhelmed by the rise of infected residents. OFWs are highly vulnerable to COVID infection due to the nature of their jobs.

“I was moved with pity upon learning of the sad plight of our kababayans in Hong Kong who were forced to sleep in airport terminals and public parks for the past two nights after employers advised them to go home upon testing positive for COVID,” said Dy, president and CEO of the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center (CGHMC), owned and operated by the PCCAI.

Dy requested Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to contact the Department of Foreign Affairs through the Hong Kong labor attaché and offered to help. He initially thought of sending Molnupiravir, an oral anti-viral treatment drug for COVID infection, together with doctors and nurses to help take care of the OFWs but there was no available flight to Hong Kong. Dy then offered to help charter a plane to bring home sick OFWs through DOLE.

“This is a simple token of gratitude to our modern-day Filipino heroes. We wanted to help assure the health and well-being of our OFWs who are working hard for their families and are stranded and sick abroad. These heroes are an important backbone of our economy through their monthly remittances of hard-earned money from abroad. Now is the time to look out for them in their time of need,” Dy said.

He assured OFWs that the PCCAI and FCGCCI will be working closely with the responsible government agencies towards a shared objective to help them and their families.

In addition to the monetary assistance, Dy also offered free medical assistance by sending doctors, medicines and hygiene kits from the CGHMC for the repatriated OFWs while sheltered in government quarantine facilities.

A multi-awarded humanitarian in the Filipino-Chinese community, Dy is well-known for his generosity through his regular charitable projects that benefitted countless Filipinos across the country over the years.

He has been a very effective channel to provide much needed private relief and assistance to poor Filipinos through the PCCAI and CGHMC-sponsored regular medical and dental missions, as well as special missions during times of calamity such as fire, floods, typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruption and other natural disasters in the country.