The remains of Travilal finally arrived on October 15 at around 11 p.m. “We were crying at the airport. It is hard to explain what I was feeling at that time,” Catajay said, “I thought my mother-in-law would collapse. “ They arrived at Tacurong the following day. Travilal was brought to her resting place on October 24.

Too technical

The difficulties of the family did not end with the repatriation of Travilal’s remains. Catajay went to the regional office of OWWA in Korondal City, to avail of the educational assistance for one of their children. He was surprised that they were turned down.

Officials of the regional office of OWWA said Travilal’s children could not avail its benefits because she was not able to renew her OWWA membership. They were also asking for endorsement letters from the OWWA main office, which Catajay never bothered to secure because they were not told that they needed one and they thought that the main office would coordinate with its regional office.

“I was asked by regional officials of OWWA to draft a letter of request, which they would forward to the main office,” Catajay said, “It was returned to me days after because they said that it was ‘too demanding.’” As of press time, the family is still waiting for the decision of OWWA on the education assistance.

“You have to take the initiative instead of waiting for ‘help’ to come your way,” he said.

Migrante International chairperson Garry Martinez criticized the OWWA’s policies, which they deemed as ‘too legalistic,’ to the point that it is seemingly forgetting its mandate to provide services to OFWs.

“If OWWA continues to decide on requests for assistance on the basis of technicalities instead of looking into the merits, they are turning their backs on OFWs,” Martinez said. For instance, he explained, it should have been the responsibility of Travilal’s employer to pay for the renewal of her membership at the Philippine consulate in Cyprus. However, since they are already old, they were not able to do so. “Why would OWWA make Travilal’s family suffer because of this?” Martinez asked.

“We are challenging OWWA Administrator Carmelita Dimson to show that OWWA is fulfilling its mandate by providing Catajay’s child with educational assistance.” (Bulatlat.com)

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