LINGAYEN – “If there is one sector we would really like to help, these are the Overseas Filipino Workers and their families. We care a lot about you.”
This was stressed by Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. during the awarding of start-up assistance to each of the 10 remaining Overseas Filipino Workers Family Associations in the province at the Provincial Employment Service Office (PESO) on October 30 following a financial management seminar conducted by PESO in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The 10 beneficiaries who received P10,000 each from the provincial government are the last batch of the DOLE-registered OFW Family associations of the 44 municipalities and three cities of the province.
The recipients include those from the towns of Agno, Dasol, Mabini, Mangatarem, Bautista, Sison, Villasis, Balungao, San Nicolas and the City of Urdaneta.
PESO Manager Alex Ferrer said the assistance will be used to defray the fees they will incur in the registration of the organizations with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, printing of receipts, printing of identification cards, opening of a bank account and other miscellaneous expenses.
The project primarily aims to assist the OFWs and their families in availing livelihood opportunities so that they will not leave their families anymore to look for jobs in other countries.
The other batch of recipients earlier received their start-up assistance on September 22, 2014, December 15, 2014, February 24, 2015 and the latest on October 30, 2015.
Governor Espino thanked the OFW families for cooperating with the program of the provincial government as he stressed the giving of importance to the sacrifices of the OFWs just to provide the needs of their families.
The governor, who is considered by members as the “Father of the OFW Families” congratulated the association members as he urged everyone to be present during the OFW Family congress which the province plans to hold soon to gather all the association members together and undergo team building.
Meanwhile, the OFW Family associations have expressed their heartfelt thanks to Gov. Espino for the province’s continued support to the plight of the OFWs.
Margelyn Cabreros, president of the Binalonan OFW Family Association thanked the province for taking care of the interest and well-being of the OFWs, their families and their communities especially in addressing the problem of illegal recruitment and human trafficking and giving them the opportunity to avail of livelihood opportunities.