By Daisy CL MandapIn the end, it all came down to issuing a small slip of paper that proves one’s status as a returning overseas Filipino worker (OFW).
This piece of paper, called the Temporary OEC Exemption Slip, is all that a vacationing overseas Filipino worker needs now to be able to get past immigration at Philippine airports and return to his or her employer.
Instead of queuing up for hours to access a computer at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office which they were required to use previously to create an account online, OFWs can simply secure this slip, which comes with a reference number, and they are good to go.
On their return, or within 60 days after acquiring the slip, the OFW can simply go online – anywhere, anytime - and using the reference number provided on the exemption slip, create an account with Balik Manggagawa Online (BMO) system.
This means that they no longer have to use POLO’s computers to create a BMO account, or pay the $20 fee and go through the tedious process of lining up all over again at the cashier’s counters or at the bank.
What’s more, nearly all OFWs in Hong Kong are now exempt from securing the all-important overseas employment certificate (OEC), which until recently, they needed to show at airports back home to be cleared for departure.
Apart from those who are returning to their employers under an existing contract, those who have been terminated but have managed to get a new employment contract processed, will also be able to avail of the OEC exemption slip.
“Technically, they will be going back to the same employer anyway,” Labor Attache Jalilo de la Torre told The SUN.
The implication, however, is that the worker will no longer have to submit herself to POEA again for more paper work and possibly, more fees being paid before being allowed to go abroad again.
Under POEA Resolution No. 12 issued on Aug. 4, all OFWs returning to the same employer at the same work site were exempted from securing the OEC, provided that they had previously registered their work and personal details with BMO.
Those who had not yet done so were told to register first, and pay the $20 fee.
Those who changed employers, whether they finished or broke their contracts, were not entitled to the exemption. They needed to secure an appointment with POLO or any POEA branch in Manila so they could be helped in either creating a new BMO account, or change the existing data in their account.
The new directive which took effect on Sept. 15 caused a lot of confusion as it was not followed up with implementing guidelines. Not a few OFWs said on social media that the old system was better because the paper OEC was easier to secure, even if they had to pay for it or line up for hours during peak season just to get it.
Migrant leader Eman Villanueva told The SUN that the dissatisfaction was such that they had to seek a dialogue with de la Torre to try and get the kinks out of the way.
“We felt responsible because we had long campaigned for the scrapping of the OEC, but now that this has been granted, a lot of frustrated people are saying that the old system was better,” said Villanueva.
But with the master stroke hatched between POLO and the POEA, much of the problem has been solved, at least for now.
“It’s good na may effort na ginagawa si Labatt para masolusyunan ang mga problema,” said Villanueva. “Itong parang backdoor na ibinigay sa kanila para maibsan ang mga problema sa OEC ay malaking tulong”.
But with only 8,000 out of some 185,000 OFWs in HK registered with BMO so far, it may still take time before the long lines leading to POLO during crucial times would become a thing of the past.
