Drilon pushes hospital for OFWs

Nearly half of repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFW) return to the country needing medical attention or hospital confinement for various physical and mental illnesses sustained abroad, according to official statistics.

Recognizing this alarming situation, Sen. Franklin Drilon is pushing for the creation of a special hospital for OFWs, to be called OWWA Migrant Workers Hospital.

OWWA, or the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, is the government agency that overseas and promotes the welfare of some eight million OFWs.

"The present package of services under the Medical Care Program for OFWs and their dependents is limited to curative medical services," Drilon said. "There is a critical need to complement the present medical package to ensure a comprehensive and total health care for OFWs and their dependents."

Drilon, the lead candidate of the People Power Coalition senatorial ticket, said the special hospital is in recognition of the substantial and sustained contributions of OFWs to the Philippine economy for more than two decades now.

The OFWs remit to the country over P5 billion a year, prompting government leaders to call them "mga bagong bayani."

Drilon said, "The least that the government can do to these unsung heroes is to provide them with adequate medical care when they come home after working abroad for their families and their country. They were around when we needed them; it’s only just and right that we care for our overseas workers when they return home."

He added that many returning OFWs need psychological care and counseling to help them and their dependents cope with the emotional trauma brought about by long separation from their families.

The proposed OWWA Migrant Workers Hospital shall provide the following services to all OFWs who are OWWA contributors and their legal dependents:

A comprehensive/ total health care package to include preventive, promotive, diagnostic, curative and rehabilitative programs; medical examinations on all departing OFWs with duly approved job orders; a system to effectively monitor the conditions of patients and generate relevant information in aid of policy formulation.