The The OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) Children’s Circle (OCC)organized by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) will henceforth initiate measures to help protecting the welfare of migrant workers’ children.
Chaired by Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma along with with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan Ople, the OWWA Board of Trustees approved Resolution No. 7 creating the OCC on July 15.
OWWA said the OCC primarily aims to help OFW children to achieve their full potential in community- and nation-building. It will also address the societal impact of labor migration, such as separation from an OFW-parent, and its negative effects on their mental health and well-being.
The program, OWWA said also will serve to showcase the creative skills and talents of OFW children, improve their socialization skills and harness coping mechanisms, foster awareness of youth-centered and civic advocacies such as environment and climate change, values reorientation, digital literacy, and anti-drugs and substance abuse.
The program, it added, also seeks to build camaraderie among OFW children, develop potential leaders among them, and encourage their participation in policy and program development.
The OWWA Board of Trustees has initially allocated PHP15 million to cover the operational and administrative expenses of the program which will initially be implemented by its Regional Welfare Offices in the National Capital Region, Ilocos Region, Calabarzon, Central Visayas and Davao Region before it gets implemented nationwide.