The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reached out to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, bringing core social welfare services closer to Filipino communities abroad through the ‘Bagong Bayani ng Mundo Serbisyo Caravan.’
“Ngayong araw, alam po namin na ang inyong sakripisyo na binibigay sa ating bayan at sa ating pamilya. Kung bakit kami po ay nandito ngayon ay para naman po magbigay serbisyo sa inyong lahat. Mula po sa DSWD, kami po ay magbibigay ng impormasyon at serbisyo para po sa inyo,” Asst. Secretary Ada Colico of the DSWD’s Protective Services said in her message on Sunday (August 3) during the caravan at the Dubai World Trade Center.
A total of 81 OFWs were served during the caravan, with 205 service inquiries recorded by the DSWD, reflecting the high interest and need for accessible government services among Filipinos abroad.
The DSWD services extended to Dubai OFWs include informational sessions on the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), Minors Traveling Abroad (MTA) clearance, solo parent benefits, Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), and psychosocial support.
“Kung kailangan niyo po ng psychosocial at counseling o kailangan niyo po ng may makausap, lalo na sa mga pinagdadaanan po ninyong suliranin, kami po ay nandito ngayon… Handa po ang aming mga social workers para tulungan po kayo,” Asst. Secretary Colico said.
Most of the OFWs who visited the DSWD service booths inquired on how to avail of the agency’s livelihood assistance, clearance for their children traveling abroad, and benefits of solo parents.
While financial and livelihood assistance cannot be released onsite, Asst. Secretary Colico said these can be availed of by OFW’s families in the Philippines who are in need of assistance by going to the nearest DSWD Field Office in their respective regions.
“Ang DSWD po ay nagbibigay ng livelihood or capital assistance… At ito po ay para sa mga pamilya ninyong naiwan sa Pilipinas,” Asst. Secretary Colico told the OFWs in the caravan.
Rodolfo Palomar, a porter team leader who has been working in Dubai since 1997, said the caravan came at the right time for his family.
“Magpo-for good na po yung anak ko dahil hindi na po namin kaya. So, uuwi na po siya at saka misis ko [sa Pilipinas]. Nanghingi po kami ng tulong sa DSWD sa aming probinsya para po matulungan yung anak ko sa medical treatment niya o financial assistance. Siya po ay person with disability po,” Rodolfo said.
Rodolfo, whose son is also a cancer survivor, emphasized how valuable such services are for OFWs like him.
“Napakahalaga po ng mga programang ito. Hindi naman po lahat ng nasa abroad, maganda ang buhay. Kaya po mahalaga po sa amin yung mga ganitong programa para matulungan ang mga OFW, lalo na sa mga medical assistance,” Rodolfo said.
The Dubai porter team leader also expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the whole-of-government initiative as embodied by the ‘Bagong Bayani ng Mundo Serbisyo Caravan.’
“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa programa po na ito lalo na po sa ating President Bongbong Marcos po. Alam ko po narinig ko po yun sa SONA (State of the Nation Address) nya,” Rodolfo said.
Held in coordination with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the ‘Bagong Bayani ng Mundo Serbisyo Caravan,’ is part of a global outreach program that kicked off in Hong Kong in June and reached Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Osaka, Japan, and Doha, Qatar in July. (YADP).
