The Department of Migrant Workers and other government agencies including the House of Representatives, the Senate and the Senate will develop programs for elderly overseas Filipino workers.
In an interview with Radyo Pilipinas on Tuesday, DMW secretary Hans Leo Cacdac stated that the government should prepare for the elderly OFWs who migrated to the Philippines about 20 years ago.
““And we need to best prepare for that. Kasi sila’y uuwi, of course, mainam na meron silang na-impok, meron silang plano sa pag-uwi (because they are going home, of course, it is good that they have something saved or plans when they go home), but at the same time, with the length of service they’ve given to their families, to their communities and to our nation bilang (as) OFWs, we need to also help them mainstream themselves back into Philippine socioeconomic life,” Cacdac said.
“So ‘yan ang paghahandaan po natin, on a broader scale, ‘yung panunumbalik ng henerasyon na mga OFWs na umalis 20 to 30 years ago na pa-uwi na (So that’s what we’re preparing for, on a broader scale, the return of the generation of OFWs who left 20 to 30 years ago and are now returning home),” he added.
Cacdac reported that the deployment of OFWs reached a million for the first-time between 2006 and 2007.
He said that, if the OFWs were 25-30 years old when they left, then they would be in their mid-50s or 50s now.
“In due course, maybe in four or five years, pauwi sila.” Kasi ang retirement age naman sa Saudi o sa Middle East, hindi tukoy na katulad natin na (they are also going home. The retirement age in Saudi Arabia or the Middle East differs from ours, which is 60 to 65. Some of them, or many of them, have already decided to return home.
Cacdac stated that the DMW had already coordinated with House President Martin Romualdez, and Senate Presiden Francis Escudero to create a law which will serve as the basis for assistance for OFWs who are elderly.
He also said that he was in talks with the party lists at the House of Representatives as well as the National Commission of Senior Citizens, which is under the Office of President.
Cacdac said that the DMW and the Social Security System (SSS), in response to the demand for a pension for OFWs, are partnering for expanded coverage. This is especially for those OFWs paying their contributions.
“There were many clamors about the lack of a pension system up until 2019, when the Social Security Law had been amended. Many of them never reached the pension system under the Social Security System,” said he.
In 2019, the policy was published on the expansion of coverage of the Employees’ Compensation Program for OFWs residing in land-based countries who are registered SSS members.
Cacdac stated that the DMW has also begun to draft programs to assist elderly OFWs with their medical costs.
“So ito i-announce natin sa sapat ng panahon pero definitely ito isasagawa natin. We want to implement the plans for those who are older. We want to assist the older returnees,” he said.
