Aid for ‘No work-no pay’ Filipinos

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

Filipinos in the UAE alongside all the other overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) around the world severely impacted by the pandemic in such a way that they are on a “No Work-No Pay” status may now apply for the one-time Php10,000.00 ($200.00/Dhs734.64) financial assistance extended by Manila’s Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE).

It was on late Saturday afternoon that the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Dubai (POLODXB) posted on its website (http://www.polodubaiportal.org) the advisory and directive to access for the Registration Database for the instructions and downloadable forms.

The cash aid was first granted to OFWs terminated from work consequent to the global eruption of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID19) on April 8.

The fund source is the Php1.5 billion (Dhs108,431,211.00) allocated by the Duterte Administration for the DoLE “COVID19 Adjustment Measures Program.”

On Saturday evening and following enquiries from Filipinos in Sharjah, Labor Attache for Dubai and the Northern Emirates Felicitas Bay said: “Those who are on work reduction or salary cut are not covered. Those who have applied before need no longer apply. This is on a first come first serve basis.”

Among those glad to know was Wilson Orines: “This is a blessing. I thought only those laid off would only be given the $200.00.”

He advised his colleagues that they need not go to the POLODXB in Al Qusais since all mandatory requirements are submittable online.

Orines said that while he refreshed the website twice, knowing all the how-tos and downloading the forms were done in less than five minutes.

Separately, Dubai Health Authority director general Humaid Al Qutami hosted a virtual meeting on Sunday with members of the Dubai Future Council for Health and Well-Being wherein the significance of scientific research including the in-depth study of the nature of the dreaded Coronavirus 2019 (COVID19), the development of treatments such as the convalescent plasma therapy (CPT) and other measures against it were discussed.

The Dubai Future Council for Health and Well-Being is among 13 special entities created for solutions and innovations in addressing present and forthcoming challenges.

CPT is the immunotherapy whereby the anti-bodies of those who have recovered are used on the sick. It is being used by the medical community in Dubai against COVID19 after having been adopted by UAE authorities on the national level.