Seafarers’, OFWs’ inclusion in subsidy program pushed
TWO party-list solons appealed to the proponents of Bayanihan 3 or We Arise As One Act to include the seafarers and overseas workers in the list of those to be given subsidy.
Marino party-list Reps. Sandro Gonzalez and Macnell Lusotan said the government must recognize the contributions of the seafarers and OFWs in keeping the Philippine economy afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.
His suggestion is to provide seafarers and OFWs subsidized training that can improve their skills.
At least three House committees have approved the Bayanihan 3 which was principally authored by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Marikina Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo.
“Our seafarers and OFWs were able to contribute roughly 1.5 trillion pesos to our economy in the form of dollar remittances last year despite the travel restrictions and deployment ban. This has helped the country stay afloat despite the contraction of the country’s economy,” Gonzalez stressed.
However, the crisis also prevented others from undergoing complete training and acquire proper certifications needed for their deployment resulting in OFWs struggling to balance their resources for food, transportation, and processing of necessary documents.
“Seafarers, at literal risk of their lives, kept the crucial supplies flowing through the maritime lanes of the world, ensuring that countries are fed and stocked with the necessary provisions to combat the pandemic and maintain economic activity. It is only right that we help them stay deployed,” Lusotan also said.
The party-list proposes to include an additional provision and funding that will allow seafarers and land-based OFWs to obtain subsidized series of trainings, including provisions mandating the relevant government agencies, such as but not limited to DTI, DA, BFAR, DSWD, and TESDA, in partnership with the LGUs to develop and provide entrepreneurship and skills training to qualified seafarers and land-based OFWs on top of the financial assistance they can avail of, with additional funding for the DOLE-AKAP Program for the provision’s implementation.
“We want to make sure that our modern-day heroes can be promptly taken care of if they fall victim to the COVID-19 virus, and so we want free RT-PCR or swab tests for returning and outgoing seafarers and land-based OFWs,” they said.
MARINO Party-list filed a resolution in January supporting the prioritization of seafarers in the government’s vaccination program.
