Cash assistance for Filipinos in UAE: when will it resume?

  DUBAI – The Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLO) in the UAE said cash assistance for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) affected by the Covid-19 crisis will resume “once additional budget is approved”. On May 11, POLO Dubai and Abu Dhabi temporarily suspended the acceptance of new applications for cash assistance of Dh730 for OFWs who lost their job or have been forced to go on a no work, no pay scheme during the pandemic. The one-time financial assistance, also known as DOLE-AKAP, provides cash assistance of Dh730 for displaced OFWs due to the Covid-19 crisis. The program was launched by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on April 8. According to a statement by POLO Dubai and Polo Abu Dhabi, the cash assistance of Dh730 will resume “once additional budget is approved” by DOLE. Labor Attache Alejandro Padaen, in a statement, said POLO Abu Dhabi will still process all remaining applications before they temporarily close the program and pay qualified applicants. Padaen said that POLO is asking for additional funds for the program to continue. Meanwhile, processing of all received applications is ongoing, on a “first come, first served” basis and that cash aid was last distributed to qualified OFWs on May 9. According to POLO, there were 409,020 applicants for cash assistance abroad as of May 12. Of the number, 142,550 have been approved. DOLE approved an allocation of P1.5 billion for the DOLE-AKAP for OFWs, which will cover 150,000 displaced OFWs worldwide.

‘Wait for DOLE to replenish funds’

Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque relayed concerns after DOLE announced it has stopped accepting additional applications for the cash aid program. "Let us wait for the DOLE funds to be replenished. We will check the report of the Department of Budget and Management if a portion of funds that can be realigned can be allotted to this program," Roque said.

Filipinos in UAE receive aid

OFWs in the UAE started receiving cash assistance in April. Dubai-based OFW Jinky Batalla De Guzman took to social media on April 21 to post a photo of the cash she received along with a claim receipt from an Al Ansari Exchange branch in Dubai. De Guzman, who works as an office administrator in the emirate, received a confirmation of approval of her application for the DOLE-AKAP for OFWs one-time cash assistance on April 17. Speaking to Expatmedia.net, the 30-year-old De Guzman said she was asked to go on a "no work, no pay" arrangement after her company became affected by a business slowdown amid the Covid-19 pandemic. De Guzman, who has lived in Dubai in the last seven years, said she was forced to apply for cash assistance to help her survive the Covid-19 pandemic. "I sent a message to my company regarding the letter that was required as proof that I have been asked to go on No Work, No Pay scheme, and they gave it to me," she told Expatmedia.net. The Filipina employee of Blue Petals Flowers Trading in Dubai said she submitted copies of her passport and visa page, Overseas Employment Certificate and the letter from her company through the POLO Dubai website. "I was very surprised when I received a message from POLO Dubai on April 21 giving me the reference number to claim the cash in Al Ansari Exchange," De Guzman said. She wasted no time claiming the cash from a branch in BurJuman Centre on Tuesday. The Filipina said she will share the money she received with her sister-in-law. "I will give her Dh100 for her food. The rest of the money I will use to buy food for myself," she said. Meanwhile, Dubai-based OFW Aries Arangorin Colico also took to a Facebook group to announce that she received her Dh730 cash assistance on April 21. Colico posted a composite photo of the money she received along with the claim slip from Al Ansari Exchange and an email from POLO Dubai confirming that her application for cash assistance has been approved. "Just hang on, friends. DOLE-AKAP assistance received!" she said in the caption in Filipino. ICA/Expat Media https://www.expatmedia.net/food-aid-filipinos-dubai-sharjah-rak-ajman-fujairah-uaq-owwa-dubai-issues-new-rule/2020/05/ https://www.expatmedia.net/uaes-10-million-meals-campaign-get-food-aid/2020/05/ https://www.expatmedia.net/covid-19-food-assistance-abu-dhabi-apply-maan/2020/05/
For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube 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