DMW to give P20-M assistance to OFWs’ families affected by Abra quake

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) will be providing P20 million worth of support and assistance for families of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the magnitude 7 earthquake that jolted Abra on Wednesday.

“This is just an initial allotment to help OFW families affected by the earthquake. I have directed the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to immediately provide help and find out what other forms of assistance the DMW can provide,” DMW Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople said in a statement on Thursday.

“We will wait for the damage assessment report made by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to determine which regions and areas are most affected so we can prioritize OFW families there,” she added.

Ople said she is coordinating with the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), or PAG-IBIG Fund, to facilitate emergency loan applications of OFW families affected by the tremor.

Ople said affected families could apply for the financial assistance by showing proof that at least one member of the family is an OFW currently deployed overseas.

They could apply to the nearest OWWA office in their regions.

The number of injured people due to the magnitude 7 earthquake that struck Abra on Wednesday has increased to 131, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (NDRRMC) said Thursday.

In its 6 a.m. report, the NDRRMC said the number of fatalities remained at four. — Jamil Santos/RSJ, GMA News