ILOILO – In relation to the growing concern about the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) that originated in Wuhan City, China, the provincial government here opened its overseas Filipino workers’ (OFWs) desk to cater to clients in the affected areas.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said on Jan. 30 the government will welcome concerns from families, mainly the Ilonggos, whose family members are working in China.
“I requested them (in the help desk) if they can ask because I want to know how many Filipinos are working in Wuhan,” Defensor added.
In order to extend appropriate assistance, Defensor wanted to know the plan of the national government for the OFWs in China.
“We ask for the decision of the national government like – do we extract, or repatriate our fellow Filipinos there,” he said.
The OFW help desk, located at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, was established for Filipinos abroad during the tension between Iran and the United States.
It is being manned by the personnel of the Public Employment Services Office (PESO), Department of Labor and Employment, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, among others.
Upon the governor’s observance that the OFW desk could cater various overseas-related concerns, Defensor said he already talked with PESO-Iloilo chief Francisco Heller in making the help desk permanent.
“We are going to write a letter to partner agencies and ask them if we can make it permanent. We want to institutionalize the help desk for the families of our OFWs,” said Defensor.(With a report from PNA/PN)
