OWWA 6 strengthens help desks
The Regional Welfare Office of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration is in the process of strengthening its OFW help desks in various local government units (LGUs) in Western Visayas.
RWO 6 Director Samuel Madrid said the OFW desks will be manned by LGU personnel who underwent an orientation with OWWA for them to be well-versed on the programs, services and benefits being offered by the office and how to handle cases that will be brought before them.
Madrid said the OFW desk was brought about by “manpower and proximity constraints of the OWWA regional office.”
“We do not have provincial offices; we are even fortunate to have one satellite office in Bacolod City. All others we have to coordinate with LGUs, OFW circles and beneficiaries and dependents in a certain area,” he said.
Madrid said concerns that can be addressed at their level are given proper actions right at the local help desk but if not will be referred to the regional office.
To date, the RWO 6 has already signed a memorandum of agreement with 27 LGUs, mostly in Antique, Negros Occidental, Capiz and Aklan.
No help desk was established in Iloilo because the regional office is already situated in the city.
Madrid said they hope to sign an agreement with at least two LGUs per month.
OFW Hospital
Meanwhile, a hospital that will cater to overseas Filipino workers is being proposed in Iloilo to replace the earlier plan to put up an OFW wing at the Western Visayas Medical Center in Mandurriao district.
Madrid said the OWWA Board of Trustees through a resolution decided to put up a hospital instead of a hospital wing.
The proposal was to come up with a two-storey building in a 2,000-square meter lot in Pavia, Iloilo that was donated for the said purpose.
“That’s about a 50-bed hospital,” he added.
However, the project has to wait following the “shift in paradigm” with the new administration that came in.
Madrid admitted that one constraint would be the fund because establishing a hospital really entails a big amount of money.
Also, some paper works have to be done relative to the lot donation.
Madrid added that the project may kick off within the year or in the coming year.*PNA
