The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Friday extended aid to the families of the five overseas Filipino workers (OFW), who died from a vehicular accident last week.
Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III met with the relatives of the OFWs, who were among the 13 passengers of the van, which lost control in the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) last Saturday after it blew a tire.
In a press conference, he personally facilitated the release of the P200,000 financial aid from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to each of the family of the deceased OFWs.
OWWA Administrator Hans J. Cacdac said they will also provide the victims with livelihood assistance and scholarship to their children.
The beneficiaries also got a separate financial aid as well as insurance claims from the recruitment agencies of their deceased loved ones: First Personnel Service Inc. and Sir Prince Global Manpower Service Inc.
Josefina Flores, the mother of Mila Flores, one of the killed OFWs, thanked DOLE and the recruitment agencies for giving them assistance.
She said she will use the amount to realize Mila’s dream of completing the construction of their new home and for the completion of her children’s schooling.
Bello said the eight other OFW passengers of the van, who suffered varying degrees of injuries, will be entitled to the livelihood and scholarship program of OWWA.
The 13 OFWs were headed for the Clark International Airport in Pampanga on March 23, where they would take a flight bound for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
The driver of the van is facing multiple charges because of the incident.