Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have fatal diseases may receive additional financial assistance from the government provided they are active members of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
OWWA said that the government has allocated a total of P150 million to help OFW OWWA members who are diagnosed and hospitalized due to “dreaded diseases.”
OWWA will get the fund from their 2016 Supplemental Medical Assistance Program (SMAP).
SMAP is a one-time medical assistance to OFWs that will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be no limit on how often the OFW can avail of the medical assistance as long as it does not exceed the amount of P50,000. Furthermore, the medical assistance must cover the same medical conditions aligned with the PhilHealth system.
OWWA issued the resolution after consulting with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth)
Department of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the SMAP is an additional benefit an OFW will get from PhilHealth.
However, OWWA would have to first sign a memorandum of agreement with PhilHealth before it could implement SMAP in the upcoming months.
