The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is looking for funds for the repatriation of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) so that it will not be touching the funds set aside for the Overseas Workers Welfare Fund.
This was revealed by Cabinet Sec. Karlo Nograles and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III during Monday’s hearing on the proposed Department of Overseas Filipino Workers.
During their last IATF meeting, Bello said the DBM clearly recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte the budgetary allocation for repatriation in the amount of P5.2 billion as additional repatriation expense.
Bello also said OWWA asked for an additional P9.2 billion budget to Repatriatethe OFWs.
However, the labor secretary related that the P5.2 billion budget from the DBM would be enough as the quarantine days of returning OFWs were shortened.
Senator Imee Marcos questioned why can’t the unused funds of the government be used for the OWWA repatriation so that the funds of the agency would not be depleted.
“As I recall in the last Senate hearing, the DBM Director also said that there was P13 billion contingent fund,” she said.
“We may use this. Why the need to hide billions and I think that’s the reason why we are deeply concerned about the status of OWWA trust fund. There’s so many deductions that have been made,” she said.