DMW to aid OFWs who lost jobs in New Zealand

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Friday said it would provide aid to hundreds of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in New Zealand who lost their jobs after the company they were working for shut down.

According to DMW officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac, 452 of the 700 affected OFWs sought help from the Philippine government.

"And so we have come to the aid of the 452. In process ang kanilang pagbibigay ng financial assistance," Cacdac said during a Zoom briefing.

(And so we have come to the aid of the 452. We are currently processing the release of financial assistance to them.)

"In addition to this, there are around 50 recipients who are New Zealand residents or dual citizens at sila naman ay tinutulungan ng embahada (and the embassy will help them)," he added.

Cacdac said most of the displaced workers are in Auckland and Christchurch, where he said the former company used to have big projects.

"Ang next way forward natin sa kanila (the way forward with them)… is to make representations with the New Zealand Ministry of Affairs and request them to possibly uphold the workplace of the workers to enable them to return to New Zealand and settle their obligations and/or transfer employers," he said.

The DMW official said several employers have reached out to their labor attachés in Wellington and expressed interest in employing the displaced workers.

Cacdac, meanwhile, said they are still confirming information that some have already found new jobs.

"Rest assured we will continue to help the OFWs affected by the ELE closure, including the 14 who are here on vacation," Cacdac said.

According to a 24 Oras report on Thursday, ELE was described by the New Zealand government as a "skilled labor hire agency in the construction and manufacturing sector."

ELE ceased operations four days before Christmas. It initially promised to pay their remaining salary, but there was no news of when this would happen.

With their visas reportedly valid for three years, the OFWs weren't allowed to switch jobs and have been living without any income for the last two weeks. Most of them had not even been in the country for more than a year. — VDV, GMA Integrated News