• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The Bacolod City government is currently evaluating the provision of financial assistance for Bacolodnon overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, as 16 individuals have formally requested repatriation.
According to City Administrator Atty. Mark Steven Mayo, the city’s helpdesk has already received more than 160 calls from OFWs and their families seeking guidance or support.
Among the total, 16 Bacolodnons, mostly from Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, have explicitly expressed their desire to be repatriated and return to the Philippines due to the volatile situation in the Middle East.
Other callers consist of families inquiring about what kind of assistance or livelihood support will be available to their family members once they successfully arrive home.
In response to the urgent requests, the city government has referred the cases to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to facilitate the return.
Mayo said that the city government will be providing assistance, in coordination with the DMW and Department of Social Welfare and Development.*
