VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) – The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has enhanced its services for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with the opening of a new satellite office in Candon City, Ilocos Sur, on Jan. 24.
Strategically located on the second floor of the Candon City Arena in Barangay Bagani Campo, the facility can accommodate up to 30 clients daily, ensuring efficient delivery of assistance to OFWs and their families from the city and nearby municipalities.
OWWA Regional Director Gerardo Rimorin said that the establishment of the new satellite office is the outcome of the collaboration between the OWWA-Regional Welfare Office 1 and the city government of Candon, following the previous relocations from the ground floor of the new Candon City Hall to the first floor of the city’s Sports Complex.
“This collaboration aims to bring OWWA’s programs and services closer to the community and surrounding areas. The Candon Satellite Office is one of the four active satellite offices in the province – one in Vigan City and one in the municipalities of San Ildefonso and Tagudin,” Rimorin said.
Provision of comprehensive services
The new office features a Public Assistance and Complaints Desk (PACD), and a dedicated training area for Entrepreneurship Development Training (EDT).
Operating from Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., it offers a wide array of services, including:
- Social benefits such as disability, death, and burial assistance;
- Educational programs like scholarships for OFW dependents and short-term training;
- The Workers Welfare Assistance Program; and
- Repatriation and reintegration support.
Highlighting the significance of the new facility, OWWA-Candon City Acting Supervising Administrative Officer Marissa Naboye lauded the OWWA-Candon partnership.
She emphasized that the collaboration has resulted in key milestones, including the delivery of Welfare Assistance Programs to victims of severe tropical cyclones in the region.
Candon City, which accounts for 10 percent of the region’s 65,000 OFWs, is an ideal location for the satellite office.
Candon City Mayor Eric Singson said that the arena was designed with office spaces from the start, intending to accommodate national government agencies and bring essential services closer to the community.
“We constructed this facility to bring services from national government agencies. It’s not only intended for sports and large gatherings; from the beginning of the construction, we planned to include office spaces so that we can invite national government agencies to establish satellite offices here,” Singson said.
Singson added that agencies such as the Philippine Regulatory Commission (PRC) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) have already established regular offices within the arena, further enhancing its role as a centralized hub for public services.
During the launch, OWWA extended financial assistance to two beneficiaries from Tagudin town. One received P15,000 for a death and burial benefit, while another received P10,000 under the emergency repatriation fund as a distressed OFW.
Candon City Vice Mayor Kristelle Singson also highlighted the provision of P5,000 financial assistance to 25 displaced OFWs in 2023, showcasing the city’s proactive support for its migrant workers.
OWWA reminded OFWs to renew their membership regularly to continue enjoying the programs’ benefits.
With the new satellite office, accessing these services has never been more convenient for OFWs and their families. (CCMT/JMCQ, PIA Ilocos Sur)
