📋 Tender Overview
Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III once more laid out the various programs of the labor department to ensure the availability of government assistance and job opprotunities for the returning overseas Filipino workers as well as for local workers who lost their jobs because of the COVID-19 pandemic.During the Pre-SONA Forum with the Participatory Governance and Human Development Poverty Reduction Cabinet clusters on Wednesday Bello said DOLE is ready to assist workers and OFWs who will permanently lose their jobs to receive the benefits they are entitled to.He said they anticipated the rise in unemployment as businesses temporarily closed due to the pandemic.The labor chief said upon the return of displaced OFWs they will be provided with livelihood opportunities cash assistance of P20000 will also be available if they want to start a small business. There is a program called Balik Pinas Balik Hanapbuhay a package of livelihood support and other assistance intended to provide immediate relief to returning OFWs that include a maximum of Php 20000.00 as start-up or additional capital for a livelihood project or small business Bello said.For those who have teaching experience we have Sa Pinas Ikaw ang Maam at Sir program. I have talked to DepEd Sec. Liling Briones and requested her if they can prioritize hiring returning OFWs who are teachers by profession Bello added.Sa Pinas Ikaw ang Maam at Sir is a collaborative project of DOLE Department of Education DepEd Commission on Higher Education CHED Technical Education Skills Development Authority TESDA and Professional Regulations Commission PRC to assist OFWs who worked as professional teachers or household service workers HSWs abroad by providing employment to them as teachers upon their return to the Philippines.The labor chief also highlighted the full implementation of the Build Build Build Program with some 400000 job opportunities.I have talked with DPWH Secretary Mark Villar and DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade and they have committed to hire construction workers from among the returning OFWs Bello said.The BPO industry has also informed us of current opening for some 6000 call center agents and I also requested them to prioritize returning OFWs the labor chief said.Since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic many OFWs have been left with no choice but to return to the country after losing their jobs abroad temporarily or permanently.As of June 7 a total of 55859 Filipinos from different countries had returned to the Philippines 17419 of whom were land-based while 38440 were sea-based.
