HRRAC helps to fast track OWWA payment to hotels

CEBU, Philippines —  The Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association (HRRAC) is helping hotel properties facilitate the speedy release of account receivables from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

In a press conference held Monday afternoon, HRRAC president Alfred Reyes said the organization is trying to collate the respective running balance to be billed by member hotels, including non-member properties, to OWWA to fast track the release of payment.

Reyes asked hotel properties to submit their updated account receivables to HRRAC, not later than March 31, 2022 so that the organization can help facilitate the release.

“OWWA asked HRRAC to provide them the running balance for every property by the end of this month, so they could ask for a budget for April,” said Reyes following the visit of OWWA deputy administrator for Administration and Fund Management Arnel Ignacio to Cebu last March 18, 2022 during HRRAC’s 2nd general membership meeting.

According to Reyes, there about 50 hotels that served the quarantine requirement of arriving Filipino Overseas Workers (OFWs) since 2020. Half of these properties are HRRAC members.

OWWA owes an estimated P3 billion to hotels for this particular arrangement across the country. Reyes said there are some hotels whose receivables are at P10 million and above.

Based on the contract, OWWA is supposed to pay the hotels 60 days to 90 days after a property submits billing to OWWA. Some hotels have already received partial payments, Reyes clarified.

HRRAC however, can’t disclose how much OWWA owes Cebu properties due to confidentiality.

Reyes said, Ignacio assured that as long as the billing has been forwarded to the agency, payment will be released by the government.

“The guarantee of paying us is there even after the term of President Duterte because once the account receivables are acknowledged by them, the government will really pay,” Reyes explained.

Funds will be disbursed by the Department of Budget and Management, upon the endorsement of OWWA.