New, additional benefits for OFW

By Cynthia Tellez

On September 25, UNIFIL-Migrante HK sponsored a dialogue with the Philippine Secretary of Labor and Employment  Silvestre Bello III.  Accompanying Sec. Bello in the said dialogue were former POEA Administrator  Hans Cacdac  (now the new OWWA Administrator) and former OWWA Administrator  Rebecca Calzado.
UNIFIL-Migrante HK made a power point presentation of the issues agreed upon during the last summit of OFW leaders in Hong Kong just before President Rodrigo R. Duterte delivered his first State of the Nation Address (SONA). The DOLE team responded to each of the issues raised in the dialogue. Though most of the issues are still to be acted upon, the team announced some changes that have been implemented or are in the cards regarding the issues raised.
These are what we want to explain in this article so that OFW will be aware of these changes and hopefully can avail of the benefits from them.

The Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC)
It will no longer be the case that every OFW has to secure an overseas employment certificate or OEC every vacation to prove that she/he is an overseas Filipino worker (OFW).
If you are an OFW taking a vacation and will return to the same employer, you will no longer be required to get an OEC. However,  in order to be exempted from getting an OEC, you have to make sure that you register at the POEA to be included in their databank – or what they call as the BalikManggagawa (BM) Online.
But as of this writing, some glitches do occur in the online registration. It is then more advisable to go to the POLO to seek assistance in the first registration process. So, again, for recontract workers, no payment is required anymore.
Those with new employers, either first-timers to Hong Kong or have changed employer, they have to register their new employment information at the POEA.

On the OWWA membership
Based on the new OWWA Act 108001, which was passed last May 31, 2016, the membership to OWWA will now be for two years. The new OWWA Act superseded the OWWA Omnibus Policy which states that the OWWA membership is co-terminus with the employment contract.
The new Act means that even if the employment contract is prematurely terminated, meaning before the end of the two-year period, the OFW can still avail of OWWA benefits because the duration of membership is for two years. The renewal will have to be by the end of the two-year period. In relation to this, there was an agreement in the dialogue that OWWA will use social media to announce the procedures in requesting for services and claiming for benefits due an OFW. As an increasing number of OFWs use social media like Facebook, OWWA and DOLE as a whole will make use of it in disseminating information on procedures and applying for whatever assistance is offered by the office.

On retirement benefits
It was explained that an OFW who regularly gives contribution to OWWA fund for 10 years but has never applied for any benefits can get a rebate from OWWA under its Rebate Program. Soon OWWA will come out with its implementing rules and regulation as its guide in implementing the Rebate Program. But to be sure, as an OFW, you must always keep records of your OWWA membership payments. Receipts or any document that will prove your membership to OWWA must be kept as proof that you are entitled to the Rebate Program. Nevertheless, migrant organizations are still calling for lifetime membership with OWWA.

The one-stop service center
There is now a one-stop center located on the ground floor of the POEA building in Ortigas Avenue. This center pooled together the documentation services of all government agencies  involved in the processing of papers of OFWs. All the clearances needed should already be there, like the NBI, PRC, immigration, etc. There is no need for an OFW to shuttle between one government office to another just to secure clearances and related requirements.
As announced by President Duterte and announced by Sec. Bello of DOLE, all processing of papers must be finished within 72 hour or within three days. So it is now your right to demand that the processing of papers in the premises of POEA must be finished within the said period. You need to assert this as you process your papers.

Medical assistance
Former OWWA administrator Rebecca Calzado explained when this concern on health was raised that there is already a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between OWWA and Philhealth. This was so because when Philhealth was established in 2005, the Medicare program of OWWA was transferred to Philhealth.  Calzado said that they are just awaiting the signing of the MOU by Philhealth for OWWA to implement the medical assistance program. In the said MOU, OWWA will release an amount equivalent to that released by Philhealth. For example, if Philhealth released a medical assistance of Php30,000, OWWA will also release the same amount to assist an OFW who needs medical financial assistance. The maximum amount that OWWA can give is Php50,000.
But again, this still awaits  the signing of the MOU by Philhealth. Furthermore, do note that priority will be given to those with serious illness like cancer, those needing dialysis,  and the likes.

Increase in MAW and food allowance
While this does not relate to the Philippine government, OFWs should know that the Minimum Allowable Wage (MAW) of all foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong was increased by HK$100 per month starting Oct. 15. But only new contract or re-contract will benefit from this. The food allowance was likewise increased by HK$42 every month. All those with existing employment contracts shall get will get the salary stated in their contract and not automatically the new MAW.
You have to congratulate yourselves in attaining these new benefits. Though there are still unheeded demands, this is nevertheless a good start. But always remember that your rights, the reforms that you are benefiting from now, are attributed to your firm, well-founded and persistent actions in winning your campaign for rights you truly deserve.

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This is the monthly column from the Mission for Migrant Workers, an institution that has been serving the needs of migrant workers in Hong Kong for over 31 years. The Mission, headed by its general manager, Cynthia Tellez, assists migrant workers who are in distress, and  focuses its efforts on crisis intervention and prevention through migrant empowerment. Mission has its offices at St John’s Cathedral on Garden Road, Central, and may be reached through tel. no. 2522 8264.