Mt Province boosts OFW aid program

By Dexter A. See

BONTOC, Mountain Province — The provincial government recently strengthened its overseas Filipino workers assistance program to address the unemployment problem in the province while helping repatriated OFWs in strife-torn Libya and other parts of the Middle East.

Gov. Leonard Mayaen and executive assistant for social services Cynthia Taguiba led the ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially start the program during the first day of the week-long celebration of the 44th Mt. Province foundation anniversary.

Mayaen said he wants to assure that returning OFWs will be given the opportunity to have decent sources of livelihood for their families while they are again seeking for other overseas employment.

The program, with a funding of P3 million, will provide loan assistance to those contracted natives of the province to work overseas but need money to pay their placement and other legal fees that will guarantee them descent jobs which they could avail and help in improving the status of their families.

The OFW assistance program, one of the present administration’s program to address the mounting unemployment, would specifically help jobseekers find employment overseas but initial assistance will be given them to sustain their living as they are awaiting job orders.