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At least 200,000 OFW families affected by floods in Metro Manila, nearby provinces
Wednesday, August 8, 2012 19:08
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Press Release
9 August 2012
At least 200,000 OFW families affected by floods in Metro Manila, nearby provinces
Groups call on PNoy govt. to release financial assistance from OWWA fund
For more than six days now, Metro Manila and nearby provinces has been incessantly pounded by monsoon rains causing floods forcing residents in low-lying areas to evacuate. According to an OFW group, among the flood victims are at least 200,000 OFW families affected by the heavy floods in Metro Manila.
“Based on our monitoring, there are at least 200,000 OFW families in Metro Manila that were forced to leave their houses due to floods and are now temporarily staying in various evacuation centers,”said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.
Monterona added that a significant number of OFWs in the Middle East sought assistance from their group after their kin in Metro Manila and nearby provinces such as Bulacan, Laguna, and Pampanga, informed of their dire situation.
“The affected OFW families urgently need our assistance. Though individual OFWs and OFW groups already conveyed their donation pledges, it will take time to reach us especially donated foods and clothes. Thus, we urge them to donate in cash,” Monterona added.
Monterona calls on Pres. Aquino III to instruct the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to re-implement the defunct OWWA general financial assistance program (GFAP).
“The GFAP was stopped, among other programs and services, when OWWA implemented the OWWA Omnibus Policies on 2004 during the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration,” Monterona noted.
He added that the GFAP would provide economic relief in a form of cash to OFW families in time of calamities. OFWs who are OWWA-members should easily avail GFAP in support of their families in the Philippines.
On Tuesday, Migrante International reactivated its ‘Sagip Migrante Fund Drive’ that aimed to gather financial and material support for flood victims especially OFWs families. “Funds will be in support of rescue missions, distribution and delivery of essential goods such as rice, canned goods and bottled water, setting up of soup kitchens and other relief missions in affected areas in Metro Manila, Southern Luzon and Central Luzon.”
On their part, Migrante Sectoral Partylist (MSP) president Connie Bragas-Regalado, appeals to all overseas Filipinos to cooperate and help ourkababayansin times of calamity.
Bragas-Regalado recounted the successful experience of Sagip-Migrante during typhoons Ondoy and Pedring wherein “the swift response of ourkababayansfostered a broader unity among overseas Filipinos, bringing them closer to the Motherland”.
Donations may be deposited to Sagip Migrante’s bank account.
Account name: Migrante International
Bank of the Philippines Islands, Kalayaan Branch
Savings Account No. 1993-0859-16
Swift Code: BOPIPHMM
For details please email[email protected]or text or call 911-4910 (landline), 0932-7043274 (mobile).
Relief goods may also be sent to Migrante International’s Home Office: #45 Cambridge St, Cubao, Quezon City.
References:
Connie Bragas-Regalado, President
Migrante Sectoral Party
Mobile No. 0933-6503487
John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator
Migrante-Middle East
Mobile No. 00974 33 20 5565 / 0063 923 420 0112
2012-08-08 19:01:15
Source: http://migranteme.blogspot.com/2012/08/at-least-200000-ofw-families-affected.html
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