News RELEASE
4 March 2004
Reference: John Monterona, Vice Chairperson and No. 2 Nominee Contact Numbers: 259-1145 or 0920-2101290

OWWA throws P240T OFW funds into Gloria campaign gimmick; ignores OFW with terminal cancer.

The Macapagal-Arroyo administration again robs distressed overseas Filipino workers of their funds at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

"While the OWWA leadership continues to deny OFWs needing immediate medical assistance, it has chipped in P240,000 to launch the OFW Groceria Project - a campaign gimmick of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last March 4. This is another of Pres. Arroyo's desperate measures to cover up her administration's neglect towards sick OFWs and their families," John Monterona, MIGRANTE Party List Vice Chairperson and second nominee said.

OWWA Officer-in-Charge Milagros Dawa-Hernandez issued Special Order 051 (series of 2004) on March 1 that authorizes the P240,000 release for the 'launching of the OFW Groceria Project' at the Occupational Health and Safety Center, North Avenue, Quezon City. The said release is sourced from OFW contributions held in trust at the OWWA.

The said project will give out Grocery store packages to select individuals on the condition that Gloria campaign billboards are placed on the stores. "This is the height of the OWWA leadership's hypocrisy towards OFWs in medical distress. They quickly release funds to aid Gloria's campaign, but they absolutely deny OFWs needing immediate medical assistance," Monterona said.

MIGRANTE cited the case of OFW Josephine Nariz who has terminal colon cancer and has only until March 2004 to live. "After being forced to work abroad for 11 years, Nariz came home with cancer only to be turned away by OWWA," Monterona said.

A 36-year old single mother from Sipocot, Camarines Sur, Nariz came home after working as a domestic helper in Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong. Her colon cancer has reached the terminal stage and has only until March 2004 to live due to "OWWA's heartless denial of assistance to Nariz."

"The OWWA leadership could have released all the medical assistance funds Nariz was entitled to. Instead it opts to satisfy the greedy campaign fund drive of Pres. Arroyo," Monterona added.

Today, OWWA Administrator Virgilio Angelo continues to deny medical assistance for the ailing Nariz.

"This is only one of the many cases of OWWA's abandonment of distressed OFWs. Gloria and her appointees at OWWA are the champions of criminal neglect towards OFWs," Monterona ended. #