Filipinos Find New Jobs In UAE Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Since May 15, a total of 129,491 OFWs from across the globe financially and job-impacted by COVID-19 have returned to their home country with approximately a little over 28,000 from the UAE

- Mariecar Jara-Puyod

Some Filipinos in Dubai and the Northern Emirates have backpedalled on their decision to be repatriated having found jobs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Members of the Philippine Press WhatsApp Group learnt of this on Sunday morning when Consul General of Dubai and the Northern Emirates Paul Raymund Cortes shared with them the CNN Philippines news on the Aug.9 Duterte approval of the additional Php5 billion (Dhs374,229,105.50/$10 1,880,950.00) novel coronavirus (COVID-19) evacuation and aid packages for distressed overseas Filipinos worldwide.

The news quoted Philippine Labour and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III: “I have directed our Polos (Philippine Overseas Labour Offices) to accelerate the processing of the assistance so that a greater number of our OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) will benefit soonest from the aid coming from our government.”

There are 34 Polos around the globe operating under Manila’s Department of Labour and Employment (DoLE) with 24 in Asia including 13 in the Middle East, seven in Europe and three in the Americas.