The government has accelerated the delivery of aid to Filipino personnel (OFW) affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and returnees from other countries.
As of October 2, the Department of Labor had delivered P2. 8 billion of its Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (AKAP) program to local and REpatriated OFW beneficiaries.
The AKAP program has approved 312,974 of the 637,873 applications for assistance obtained through the Philippine Office of Foreign Labour (POLO) and the Administration for the Protection of Workers Abroad. Nearly 280,000 OFWs gained monetary assistance.
In the Asia-Pacific region, POLO in Malaysia reported that the budget had been transferred to the bank accounts of AKAP-approved candidates.
Labor officials also continue to monitor Filipinos abroad who have Covid-19.
Of the 14 in a row in France, six died and 8 recovered; five are being followed in Portugal.
In the Middle East, there had been 17 Covid-19-related deaths in Qatar until 2 October. The number of cases verified through POLO involving Filipinos increased to 3,132, the Philippine Labour Office reported in Qatar.
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