The Palawan office of the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) handled and resolved 33 cases involving Palaweños who work abroad, an increase from the 19 cases handled in the past year.
Family Welfare Officer Adignita Elijan said that most of the welfare cases handled were about contract violations of the employers. Many were filed by the relatives of this OFW that are based here in Palawan.
“May mga inaabuso talaga ng amo, lahat naman contract violation, na dapat may probation sila ng tamang pagkain, tulugan, dapat ang alaga apat na anak lang pagdating dun limang pamilya pala na may kanya-kanyang anak, yan usually ang problema ng ating mga OFW,” Eijan added.
Elijan further disclosed that the majority of the victims became beneficiaries of the agency’s financial assistance under the “Balik Pinas Balik Kabuhayan” program. It grants one-time cash assistance of P20,000 in order for them to start anew. OWWA has a total of 62 beneficiaries for 2019.
She also reminded all Palawenos who wish to work abroad to get in touch with their office as they always conduct “Handa Ka Na Ba Mag-Abroad” orientation to educate the OFWs on what to do and expect in working abroad and to encourage all OFWs to register with OWWA as members to avail of the insurance that they provide.
OWWA does not have the exact number of Palawenos working abroad. The office is having a hard time tracking. They only learn the whereabouts of Overseas Filipino Workers once they have problems or issues with their employers.
Elijan said that most Palawenos that work abroad put on their record their Metro Manila address because many of them process their employment records there.
“Hindi ko maibigay ang saktong number dahil yung iba hindi nagpapakilala na taga dito; yung iba kailangan pa naming i-trace, hindi na sya updated ng matagal na panahon,” Elijan said.
But Elijan confirms that based on their monitoring, most Palaweños that currently work overseas are largely coming from Puerto Princesa. Narra comes next and Roxas follows.
The Middle East is the number one destination of Palaweños such as Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Kuwait. Europe is next for medical practitioners such as nurses and doctors.
December is declared as the month of Overseas Filipinos, according to Proclamation No. 276 series of 1988.
It is celebrated per region by OWWA and this year for Region 4B MIMAROPA will be held in Marinduque this coming December 14. Usually, it is highlighted as OFW Family Day. Palawan hosted the event last 2017 in the municipality of Roxas.