Malacañang said the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has enough funds to pay its outstanding debt in the quarantine hotels for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

“Huwag po kayo mag-alala may pera po tayo diyan. Mayroon lang mga paperwork at validation na kinakailangan gawin bago mabayaran,” Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a media briefing.

This, after a hotel organization revealed that OWWA owed some P241 million to at least 20 hotels serving as quarantine facilities.

Roque said that OWWA is just verifying the billing sent by hotels before paying them.

“Iyang billings ng hotel ay binubusisi, nag-re-reconcile, vine-verify sang-ayon po sa standard COA (Commission on Audit) procedure,” he said.

OWWA chief Hans Cacdac said that they were able to pay 10 percent of its debt after Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III asked to settle the remaining balance within the next seven days.

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