THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has committed to providing cash and livelihood assistance to repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to support their reintegration into their communities.
Social Welfare Secretary Rexlon Gatchalian encouraged returning OFWs to apply for the agency’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).
During his visit to Cabanatuan City, Gatchalian distributed P20,000 each under the SLP and an additional P10,000 in cash aid through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations program.
Gatchalian said the initiative ensures returning OFWs receive adequate support after being displaced by the war in the Middle East.
“We want that when we repatriate our fellow Filipinos from the Middle East, our OFWs who had to return home due to conflict, they are provided with proper livelihood assistance because a major part of reintegration into the community is having something to do and a source of income,” Gatchalian said.
Aside from cash aid, the DSWD provides livelihood assistance through the SLP, which helps beneficiaries develop business plans for small enterprises.
He noted that some beneficiaries in Cabanatuan chose to start sari-sari stores or food businesses, each receiving P20,000 as seed capital.
The DSWD also offers a group-based livelihood track, where OFWs are organized into associations of about 20 members to establish collective enterprises such as rice retailing or sewing businesses.
“Under our program, we organize OFW groups into Sustainable Livelihood Program Associations, where they can jointly run businesses such as rice stores or tailoring shops,” Gatchalian said.
