Duly constituted associations of overseas Filipino workers can look forward to availing of livelihood assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment—Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
This after the government allocated P300 million for the Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Pag-Unlad ng Samahang-OFWs, or Tulong PUSO program.
The program aims to provide assistance to OFW organizations for the formation, enhancement, and restoration of livelihood projects in the form of raw materials, equipment, tools and jigs, and other support services.
The livelihood assistance is a one-time grant that ranges from P250,000 to P1 million, relative to the requirements of the business project and the number of OFW members applying for the grant.
“The Tulong PUSO is one of DOLE-OWWA’s mechanisms to encourage OFW organizations to engage into viable and sustainable livelihood undertakings. Together with partner agencies like the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture, we will be conducting enterprise development training and other social preparation interventions to equip the OFW groups with the right knowledge and skills to ensure the success of their chosen livelihood projects,” OWWA administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said.
OFW organizations with accreditation from the labor department, Cooperative Development Authority or the Securities and Exchange Commission can submit a project proposal together with the documentary requirements to any of OWWA’s 17 regional offices nationwide for evaluation.
The required documents include a certificate of entrepreneurship development training (for start-up/formation), copy of DoLE/SEC/CDA registration, organizational profile with individual personal information, business permit issued by local government unit, business project (indicating or showing proponent capacity to put up an equity equivalent to at least 20 percent of the total project cost) and sketch of project site, and board resolution designating a business manager (on behalf of the group/organization).
