Credit assistance program to help new OFWs, families - Revilla

A bill to provide credit assistance program to help newly-hired Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) financially provide for their families during the first three months of their employment has been filed in the senate.

Senate Bill No. 801, filed by Sen. Bong Revilla mandates that prospective OFWs having a valid contract certified by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA), may avail of a P 50,000 loan from Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) payable in 12 months or more but not exceeding 24 months at a preferred interest rate of 6 percent per annum.

The veteran senator believes that this loan will help defray the living expenses of OFWs and their families during the first few months of their employment as well as other expenses incurred during pre-employment.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revealed that there are 2.3 million overseas Filipinos who sent a total of P 235.9 billion in remittances. These remittances were divided into three types: cash sent home (P 169.4 billion), cash brought home (P 55.2 billion), and remittance in kind (P 11.2 billion).

PSA also stated that 96.2 percent of OFWs have existing work contracts during the period April to September 2018, while 3.8 percent worked overseas without contract.

PAUTANG PARA SA OFW ISINULONG NI REVILLA

Gagaan na ang buhay ng mga bagong alis na Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) makaraang isulong ni Sen. Bong Revilla, Jr. ang credit assistance program na naglalayong pagaanin ang sitwasyong pinansiyal ng mga ito.

        Ayon kay Revilla, ang panukalang batas na ito (Senate Bill No. 801) ay naglalayong makatulong sa pamilya ng mga OFW na kaaalis pa lamang at hindi pa nakakatikim ng suweldo sa loob ng unang tatlong buwan.

        Pangunahing kailangan lamang ng isang OFW na nais pakinabangan ang credit assistance program ay ang kaniyang valid contract na sertipikado ng Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA).  

        Maaari nang manghiram ang kuwalipikadong OFW ng P50,000 mula sa

 Overseas Workers Welfare Adiministration (OWWA) at dapat bayaran sa loob ng 12 buwan at hindi lalampas sa 24 buwan na may 6 porsiyentong interest rate per anum.

        Idinagdag pa ni Revilla na ang mahihiram nilang pera ay isang malaking tulong para sa mga OFW na malaki ang ginastos sa placement fee bago nakaalis at pandagdag gastusin para sa pamilya dahil hindi kaagad nakakasuweldo ang mga ito sa loob ng tatlong buwan.

        Base sa datos ng Philippine Statistics Office (PSA), umaabot sa 2.3 milyong OFW ang nagpapadala ng kabuuang P235.9 bilyong remittances at nahahati ito sa tatlong klase-- cash sent home (P 169.4 billion), cash brought home (P 55.2 billion), at remittance in kind (P 11.2 billion).

Ayon pa sa PSA, nasa 96.2 porsiyento ng OFWs ay may kasalukuyang kontrata sa trabaho mula Abril hanggang  Septyembre 2018, habang 3.8 porsiyento naman ang nagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa ng walang kontrata.