The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is ready to assist overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who might be affected by the travel restrictions implemented by Hong Kong.
OWWA administrator Hans Leo Cacdac, in a Laging Handa presser on Thursday, said they are monitoring the situation on the possibility of Filipino workers being stranded.
“We are now monitoring the airports for those who may be affected,” he said at the Laging Handa briefing.
Cacdac added that the assistance will be provided to all OFWs, whether they are agency-hired or Balik Manggagawa.
“Although, in general, the recruitment agencies have been cooperative and have resources to help their OFWs who are stranded and cannot continue the flight, among others. But there are also returning workers who do not have agencies. We will probably help them. If there is no accommodation in NCR (National Capital Region), we will help them provide shelter, food, accommodation, and transport,” Cacdac added.
On Wednesday, Hong Kong announced a two-week ban on inbound flights from the Philippines, Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, United Kingdom, and the United States from January 8 to 21, amid the rising cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Omicron variant.
A majority of Filipinos working in the Chinese semiautonomous region are household service workers.