Gov. Carlito Marquez

Kalibo, Aklan — Aklan will soon have an OFW Migrant Desk to cater to the needs of the province’ overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with the recent signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Provincial Government of Aklan.

Aklan Governor Carlito S. Marquez said this OFW Migrant Desk which would be located at the Provincial Employment Service Office (PESO) is the first to be opened in Region 6.

The MOA signing was held at the Conference Room of the Provincial Guest House here March 17, with OWWA Administrator Marianito D. Roque and Governor Carlito S. Marquez as the main signatories, and witnessed by Vice Governor Ronquillo C. Tolentino and several Aklan mayors.

Adm. Roque said the opening of an OFW Migrant Desk in Aklan is very essential as the province has many OFWs. According to him, queries about family members abroad who failed to communicate would be made possible through the Migrant Desk or problems being experienced by OFWs abroad and other concerns could be aided by the OWWA through its welfare offcials in 30 embassies all over the world.

Roque said besides taking care of OFWs’ welfare when they get out of the country to work, OWWA also helps in the mediation process when problems between OFWs and their employers arise, assists in the repatriation of OFWs.

It also has an existing scholarship program for children of OFWs and offers livelihood programs to OFWs and their families.

Governor Marquez said the opening of the migrant desk is timely because Aklan sends hundreds of OFWs abroad working as domestic helpers, nurses, marine officers and many others and this is evidenced with the upliftment of lives of their families and their beautiful houses found in the different parts of the province today.

Aklan, according to Vivian Ruiz R. Solano, PESO- Manager has 561 documented OFWs, traced through a survey done by the office.

Solano said there is a big number of Aklan OFWs but many failed to answer the survey.

Continuing efforts by PESO-Aklan are being done to obtain the real number of OFWs in the province, according to Solano.

Those from OWWA who came with Adm. Roque to Aklan were regional director Raul Debris, Noel Chavez and Allen Arroyo, Family Welfare Officer. (by VG Villanueva PIA-Aklan)