THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has issued a statement welcoming the proposed measure to expand the purposes for the utilization of the Emergency Repatriation Fund (ERF) under Republic Act (RA) No. 8042, as amended, otherwise known as the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act.

It said HB 09388, filed by Rep. Marissa 'Del Mar' Magsino of the OFW Partylist, seeks to provide statutory authority for the establishment of temporary shelters in host countries and halfway houses in the Philippines for repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).