Labour Attache David Des Dicang (fourth left), UFOQ Chairman Ressie Fos (fourth right) and other officials at the launch of “Send Someone Home” project at POLO-OWWA headquarters on Tuesday.
DOHA: The United Filipino Organizations in Qatar (UFOQ), the umbrella body of more than 190 Filipino groups, has launched an initiative to assist in the repatriation of distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) here by providing plane tickets.
Almost 100 distressed OFWs are under the care of Philippine Overseas Labour Office and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (POLO-OWWA), most of whom are runaway household service workers.
“Send someone Home” was launched on Tuesday as a year-long priority project of the newly installed UFOQ board which resulted from a dialogue with the POLO-OWWA.
“Two weeks ago we had a dialogue with POLO and we learned that they need sustainable number of tickets at any given time. UFOQ, through this programme, should be able to provide those required tickets,” said UFOQ Chairman Ressie Fos.
Labour Attache David Des Dicang was upbeat about the fresh partnership with community leaders in Qatar.
“We are excited because when the new set of officers of UFOQ was completed they immediately reached out to us to ask about the difficulties we are encountering in POLO OWWA and they asked how they can help. We mentioned the shortage in manpower and resources in our agency. We are happy in many ways they will be able to help not just about return tickets for distressed workers,” said Dicang.
“This is just one of the many initiatives of UFOQ and through our Committee we will ensure that Send Someone Home project will realise its objective of uniting the efforts of more than 190 registered Filipino organisations in helping our kababayans to reunite with their families back home,” said UFOQ Welfare and Outreach Chairperson Arkan Pabatao.
According to POLO, the normal procedure for OFWs with absconding cases but without return ticket is to ask the ticket from the employer and if he fails to provide it, the manpower agency in the Philippines will be the one responsible. There are cases however when the agency cannot provide it so the responsibility falls on the shoulders of the Philippine government through the POLO OWWA.
Unfortunately there are legal requirements to be complied with prior to the issuance of budget for this purpose which takes time.
