The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its International Social Services Office (ISSO), is ready to provide augmentation support services, based on the inter-agency contingency plan of the government, to thousands of Overseas Filipinos (OFs) and their families who will be repatriated from the Middle East amid the crisis in the region.

DSWD shall set up repatriation desks in international airports around the country, together with concerned agencies, where the OFs and their families will be served upon their arrival. 

 While at the airport, the OFs will be assessed by a DSWD composite team of social workers, who will render a 7-days-a-week duty. They will also be provided with financial assistance.

The OFs will also be referred to the Department’s Field Offices (FOs) in the regions where they would be provided with additional interventions based on the assessment of social workers.

Among the additional services that may be provided by DSWD FOs to the repatriates include livelihood assistance through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department.

Apart from the preparations being made by DSWD, the Department’s Social Welfare Attachés (SWAtts) deployed in the Middle Eastern countries are also working with their respective Philippine Embassy country team in the preparation and provision of needed social welfare services to the affected OFs.

ISSO acts as central authority of the Department on matters related social services to distressed OFs in their respective posts.

DSWD reiterated that the efforts to assist the OFs are in accordance with its mandate of providing prompt and compassionate service to the marginalized and vulnerable sectors. ###