A Public Awareness Campaign on a Gender Responsive Migrant Resource Center (MRC), was held at San Carlos City, yesterday (August 31), in partnership with the OFW Negros Occidental Federation.
The activity was co-facilitated by the Provincial Committee on Migration and Development (PCMD), MRC Team and representatives of selected national government agencies and non-government organizations with programs and services for OFWs or migrant workers.
Governor Bong Lacson, who is the PCMD chairman, said that the Provincial Government is reaching out to distressed OFWs, particularly those who were affected by the global pandemic. Aside from financial assistance, livelihood and training, the province is offering a scholarship to children of OFWs, and has established an OFW help desk at the Provincial Capitol, which is open from Monday to Thursday.
Representatives from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), National Reintegration for OFws, Dept. of Trade and Industry, and Voice of the Free joined the said information caravan.
The activity is also in connection with the program on Provincial Migration and Development Initiatives, and a special project with the International Labor Organization on “Establishing and Institutionalizing Gender Responsive MRC, Help Desks, and Services to Women Migrant Workers in Negros Occidental”.
Present in the activity were San Carlos City Mayor Renato Gustilo, OWWA Region VI OIC Regional Director, Rizza Joy Moldes, NRCO Representative, Dave Staurnino, and Ma. Berjane Roa of the Voice of the Free, Sally Barrios of the Federation of OFW – Negros Occ., Executive Assistant to the Governor, Marie June Castro, PPDO OFW Focal, Ana Lim, and Engr. Jose Maria Amugod, April Joy Duran, and Jennifer Melliza of the Negros Occ. Special Programs and Concerns Division, among others.
