Owwa 11 releases P4M to Saudi-affected OFWs

THE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) 11 has released more than P4-million financial assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFW) from the region affected by the financial crisis in Saudi Arabia.

Owwa-Davao director Eduardo Bellido said the regional welfare office released P4,374,000 to workers, including their families, who had a problem in nine construction and maintenance companies in Saudi Arabia.

Bellido said the office has released a total of P3,750,000 financial assistance to 151 repatriated OFWS, while P624,000 were handed to 104 families of the workers from August to September, this year, with a total amount

of P4,374,000.

He said most of the workers who got the assistance worked as engineers, technicians, welders, laborers and cleaners, all under Saudi Bin Ladin Group, Saudi Oger Ltd., Mohammed Al-mojil Group (MMG), and Mohammad Al Bargash.

"The region expects to receive more OFW-claimants in the coming days due to aggressive information dissemination campaign and wordof-mouth advertisement maintenance companies in Saudi Arabia," Bellido said.

Bellido said the relief assistance program of the agency is a one-time grant of financial assistance provided to qualified affected OFWs and/ or families which aims to cushion the impact of forced unemployment and income displacement. ICT