Manila, July 10 -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is waiting for the decision of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on its request for an additional PHP2.5 billion to finance its cash assistance program for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
"There is no action yet from the DBM on our request for additional funds for the DOLE-AKAP (Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong) program but we are confident President (Rodrigo) Duterte will allow the request to help our OFWs," Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said during a Laging Handa briefing on Thursday.
The program is a one-time emergency cash aid of USD200 or PHP10,000 to help the OFWs.
Bello said they asked for addit...