ILOILO CITY – Two overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Iloilo working in Saudi Arabia have sought educational assistance for their children amid financial difficulties linked to the ongoing conflict, while another worker from the province has expressed interest in repatriation, local employment officials said Tuesday.
Iloilo City Public Employment Service Office (PESO) Manager Gabriel Felix Umadhay said the two workers requested scholarship assistance for their children who are pursuing college education.
“They expressed concern over their current financial difficulties brought about by the ongoing conflict, which has affected their capacity to support their children’s educational needs. PESO Iloilo City will coordinate with the concerned agencies to determine the availability of appropriate educational assistance programs for the affected families,” Umadhay said.
The workers reported work stoppages that affected their income but have not yet expressed interest in returning to the Philippines, he added.
Umadhay said the city PESO is coordinating with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to determine whether any of the repatriated workers are residents of Iloilo City and whether they need further assistance.
Meanwhile, Iloilo Provincial PESO Manager Cynthia Dario said the office has profiled 4,775 Ilonggos working in Saudi Arabia, including 26 in Riyadh.
Dario said the 26 workers reported that they were safe, although one had expressed interest in repatriation.
The other 25 were staying near the area, particularly outside the airport where the bombing incident occurred, she said.
“If they don’t want to get repatriated, we continue to monitor their status because that is the instruction of Governor Arthur Defensor Jr.,” Dario said.
She added that the provincial PESO would coordinate with OWWA and the Department of Migrant Workers to expedite repatriation for those who wish to return home.
The city and provincial governments are also prepared to provide returning workers with assistance, including financial and livelihood support, the two PESO officials said. (Perla Lena/PNA)
