In Pangasinan, DOLE-registered OFW associations get P80,000 capital assistance from Governor Espino

San Fernando City, La Union – Eight OFW Family associations received P10,000 each as capital assistance from the provincial government of Pangasinan for their income-generating ventures. The groups, which are from Alaminos City, Infanta, Sual, San Quintin, Mangaldan, Umingan and Rosales in Pangasinan, have acquired their legal personality after registering with the Department of Labor and Employment-Regional Office 1. To date, the associations have total membership of 1,171. The assistance fund was awarded by Governor Amado Espino to the beneficiary associations on September 22 at the Pangasinan Provincial Employment Service Office (PESO). Pangasinan PESO Chief Alex Ferrer said the organization of OFW associations is part of the vision of the incumbent Governor to convert every household in the province into a production unit to prepare and help them galvanize community-based anti-illegal recruitment advocacies and livelihood programs through the “Bantay-Barangay, Tulong Hanap-Buhay” project of the provincial government. The program, according to Ferrer, is a strategic, comprehensive and innovative anti-illegal recruitment, human trafficking and poverty alleviation initiative of the provincial government. “I am very happy that OFWs are given due recognition by the provincial government of Pangasinan, and that conscious efforts are being done to include them in its development program,” DOLE 1 Regional Director Grace Ursua said. She hailed the provincial government and the PESO for the novel project, saying that it helps localize one of President Aquino III’s goals in his Social Contract with the Filipino people. “Clearly, one of the agenda underscored by the President in the contract is to achieve a government that creates jobs at home, so that working abroad will be a choice for Filipinos rather than a necessity, and when they choose to become OFWs, their welfare and protection will still be the government’s priority,” Director Ursua said. The Regional Director also lauded the DOLE 1’s three field offices in the cities of Alaminos and Dagupan and Rosales, Pangasinan for strongly coordinating with the LGU and its officials to bring services to DOLE clients down the grassroots. Based on data, Pangasinan is the fifth province in the entire country with the most number of OFWs and migrants. – Arly Sta. Ana-Valdez (with some texts lifted from the Province of Pangasinan official site)

https://ro1.dole.gov.ph/news/in-pangasinan-dole-registered-ofw-associations-get-p80000-capital-assistance-from-governor-espino/