Filipino workers’ welfare will be looked after, assures Ople
Department of Migrant Workers secretary says that Oct.15 is the target date for the universal launch of the digitalised mobile phone OEC service
Officials of Manila’s Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) led by Secretary Susan Ople are commited in easing the requirements for the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWS). They too, have assured that all support systems shall be either introduced or enhanced.
The reiteration of their commitment came by way of the hybrid “DMW Dialogue with the Filipino Community in Dubai and the Northern Emirates” which, the Philippine Labour Office in Dubai (POLODUBAI) and the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai (PCGDXB) collaborated on and branded as the “Kapihan at Kwentuhan, Kabayan” (“Coffee and Stories, Countryman”), on Friday evening.
Via Zoom at the PCGDXB, Ople, a pillar in the advancement of the rights and welfare of OFWS and their families, said in Filipino: “Let us help one another. Our vision is for OFWS to have a home within the government. We do not want you to be passed around. (Republic Act No. 10868 signed into law in 2019 by President Rodrigo Duterte) clearly stipulates that OFWS are under the protection of the DMW. You can come to us for your and your family’ s needs anytime. president( ferdinand) marcos
Jr.’s order is to take care of you and your children; specifically when both spouses are OFWS. We have programmes for you and your families courtesy of the( Overseas Workers Welfare Administration owwa)andt he( National Reintegration Centre for OFWS) for everyone contemplating on going home for good. By next year, DMW will already have a fund that will allow us to provide you with legal services including medical and other forms of humanitarian assistance.”
Pointing out that she “hates seeing long queues” concerning the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), Ople announced that October 15 (Saturday) is the target date for the universal launch of the digitalised mobile phone OEC service. Moreover, “the completion of the validation/documentation of employers’ requirements shall be down to 15 days maximum, from three months; and, as ordered by President Marcos, the DMW and the Department of Health are working on the expansion of the current OFW Hospital in Mabalacat, Pampanga (Central Luzon) to wards in hospitals around the country.”
Ople vowed to “simplify all the guidelines so everyone who wants to work abroad will not circumvent laws and to give no chance for predators, namely the shameless illegal recruiters and agencies as well as human trafficking syndicates to take advantage of any Filipino’s desire to provide well for his loved ones.” She earlier mentioned of illegally recruited OFWS landing in “Syria, Lebanon and Kurdistan (Iraq).”
At the open forum, Gulf Today raised the negative feedback from some OFWS regarding the re-mainstreaming of returning OFWS via businesses through various OWWA loan packages, including the complaints on the Php20,000 (Dhs1,288.59) financial assistance.
OWWA Administrator Arnaldo Ignacio and visiting official Caunan assured that the protocols such as the necessary requirement for feasibility studies which OWWA may assist them in framing, and the cap for financial assistance such as the Php20,000 (Php1,288.59) are in place so that the Owwafunds,whic hare basically the bi-yearly ofws’ membership dues, are sensibly spent.
The forum lasted for three hours (from 7:45 p.m. UAE time/11:45 p.m. Philippine time). It was the “first town hall meeting overseas wherein DMW officials were introduced and programmes were presented ,” Labour Atache in Dubai and the Northern Emirates John Rio Bautista said. DMW decided to launch the periodic talks in the Uae—visiting DMW Policy & International Cooperation Undersecretary Patricia Yvonne Caunan met with the Filipino Community and the Western Region on Saturday—as it noted the continuous efforts of the POLOS to beter serve their countrymen and other clients. The UAE was also chosen to be the launch pad as it is host to close to one million Filipinos including short-term visa holders.
The other DMW officials who presented programmes virtually were Finance & Internal Affairs Undersecretary Maria Anthonete Velasco-allones (Oec digitalis at ion and t he ofw hospital ), licensing & Adjudication Services Undersecretary Bernard Olalia (New Rules on Job Contract Verification and Accreditation), Migrant Workers Welfare Services Felicitas Bay (One Repatriation Command Centre). Long-time saudi arabia-based jun aguilar discussed the need for OFWS to seriously consider the DMW Reintegration Programme.