THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) opened on Monday a one-stop shop for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), where they can get all the government frontline services for their travels abroad.
Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said this is in response to President Duterte’s directive to make it easier for migrant Filipino workers to avail themselves of the services of the government.
Bello said the One-Stop Service Center for OFWs (OSSCO) is at the ground floor of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration’s (POEA) main office at Blas F. Ople Building on Ortigas Avenue corner Edsa, Mandaluyong City.
He said the OSSCO is seen to reduce transportation expenses of overseas workers and shorten the processing time of their documents.
Aside from making available to the workers information on their respective programs and services, and responding to queries of clients, the various government offices’ services to them are:
The Department of Foreign Affairs—passport services and passport-validity extension for balik-manggagawa (vacationing workers);
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa)—processing of Owwa membership or renewal of membership;
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority—assistance for competency assessment, verification of certificates and special order, assistance for replacement of national certificates—certificates of competency and training assistance and scholarship program;
Professional Regulation Commission—issuance of professional licenses;
Maritime Industry Authority —issuance or revalidation of Seaman’s Book;
Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG)—processing of Pag-IBIG Membership;
The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth)—acceptance of payment of PhilHealth contribution, member registration and updating;
The Social Security System—registration and membership-data amendment; acceptance of loan and benefits claim applications; loan verification and status; Unified Multi-Purpose ID Card capturing and card releasing; and response to queries;
The Philippine Statistics Authority—processing and copy issuance of certificates of live birth, certificates of marriage, death certificates and certificates of no marriage (Cenomar);
The Bureau of Immigration—departure clearance information;
National Bureau of Investigation—issuance of clearance;
The Commission on Higher Education—verification and authentication of school credentials;
Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority—travel-tax payment, processing of travel-tax exemption and reduced travel tax and response to queries; and
The POEA—documentation of workers (land-based and sea-based); documentation of workers-on-leave, as well as balik-manggagawa; registration of land-based worker-applicants; verification or certification of OFW records, provision of legal assistance; and response to queries.
Bello said one-stop centers are also being set up in all regions spearheaded by the Dole regional offices, in coordination with the regional offices of the agencies cited above, local government units, and other partners and stakeholders.
The Ossco in Ortigas and the regional offices will be opened from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, or in its discretion, with prior approval of the POEA or Dole regional office, may extend the services during weekends and holidays.
Image credits: Nonoy Lacza