KAKAMMPI News

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs on Sunday encouraged distressed overseas Filipino workers in Sri Lanka to get in touch with either the Embassy in Dhaka or the Honorary Consulate in Colombo. In a tweet, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola said that the department is closely coordinating with Filipino community leaders regarding the situation on the ground. Arriola added that Filipinos in Sri Lanka who wish to return to the Philippines may contact the following: Philippine Consulate in Colombo +94 114322267 +94 114322268 +94 112307162 philcon.cmb@cotrop.net philcon1.cmb@cotrop.net PHL Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh +88 01735349427 dhaka.pe@dfa.gov.ph DFA- OUMWA +63 967 4421825 (Globe) +63 908 3442070 (Smart) +63 999 9802515 atn@dfa.gov.ph Meanwhile, OFWs in Sri Lanka may also reach the DFA by messaging the Facebook page of OFW Help 24/7. Sri Lanka is facing an unprecedented economic hardships that would at least last for two more years, t...

By LLANESCA T. PANTI, GMA News There is no need to administer a second COVID-19 booster shot just yet to those non-immunocompromised, a government adviser said Wednesday. Dr. Edsel Salvaña of the DOH Technical Advisory Group and Infectious Disease Expert made the response when asked if there is a need for second booster shot for those part of the labor force and those who are not immunocompromised given that the government already proceeded with administration of second booster shot for the elderly and the immunocompromised. "We have good evidence that the first booster is effective. In fact, the incremental benefit from the second dose to the first booster is very big. And the incremental benefit between the first booster and the second booster is much smaller compared to that of between second dose and the first booster," Salvaña said during the Laging Handa briefing. "In addition we are not only talking about antibodies but the T-cells which serves as our protect...

Published May 25, 2022 3:19pm The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) announced it will stop offering its transportation and accommodation assistance program to returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in all areas under Alert Level 1 beginning next month. “In light of the IATF pronouncement placing the National Capital Region and other areas in the country on Alert Level 1 status, services, and industries including public transportation are in full operating capacity,” OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said in an advisory Tuesday. “Hence, transportation assistance for returning OFWs shall be suspended effective June 1, 2022,” he said. Exemptions will be applied to distressed OFWs certified by the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLO) or as evaluated by authorized OWWA airport officers. Also covered are Filipinos returning to the country through government-initiated mass repatriation flights or OFWs provided airfare by the POLOs through commercial flights. Followi...

By JOVILAND RITA, GMA News Incoming Migrant Workers chief Susan “Toots” Ople on Wednesday said she would first work on figuring out what possible assistance can be given to overseas Filipino workers in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita, Ople noted that cases of COVID-19 as well as monkeypox infections are rising in some areas abroad. “Ang uunahin ko 'yung parang panoramic view kung ano ba talaga ang kalagayan ng mga OFWs natin sa panahon ng pandemya, anong uri ng saklolo ang kailangan nila,” she said. (I will prioritize studying the panoramic view of the situation of our OFWs during the pandemic, and determining what kind of help they need.) “Magkakaroon kami ng systems review. Magkakaroon din kami ng performance audit para 'yung mga tamang tao nasa tamang lugar,” she said. (We will have a systems review. We will also have a performance audit so that the right people are in the right place.) Ople, a long-time advocate of migrant work...

Published May 22, 2022 2:38pm The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Saturday said it will allow Muslim Filipinos intending to join the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia this year to use the courtesy lane at its consular offices for passport processing. The courtesy lane will be open to Muslim Filipinos for walk-in accommodation from May 23 to June 3, the DFA announced. Those intending to avail of the courtesy lane accommodation need to show a certificate of Muslim Filipino tribal membership (CTM) issued by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos. The CTM should show that it was issued for the purpose of hajj visa application. The DFA said passport applicants should have the necessary documentary requirements as listed on its website. It added that all passport applications will be scrutinized by the DFA prior to passport issuance. —KG, GMA News

By JAMIL SANTOS, GMA News The South Korean Embassy will resume issuing tourist and all types of visas, as well as accepting applications for them, on June 1. In a notice posted on the embassy website on Thursday, the South Korean government also said that multiple entry visas issued before April 5, 2020 that did not expire may still be used without the need for a re-application. The Submission of Consent for Isolation will also no longer be required by the embassy. "Detailed information, such as visa application procedure, will be announced soon," the embassy said in its notice. — DVM, GMA News

By JOVILAND RITA, GMA News More countries in the Middle East are willing to discuss adjustments on their “kafala” or sponsorship system for foreign workers, an official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Friday. “There is already the willingness on the part of these countries to reform. They are not totally there yet but they need the support of country of origin,” DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola said at a press conference. “Never before have we ever seen the openness of these countries to listen to us, to open their doors, to build a bridge because they want to do better,” she added. She said that in 2016, reforms on kafala had not been mentioned in United Nations activities because the term became like a taboo word for diplomats and countries who were worried of offending the Arabs. According to Arriola, the Philippines, led by President Rodrigo Duterte, started the “biggest” campaign on kafala reform after the death of overse...