OWWA offers Php20k livelihood aid for terminated OFWs

By Vir B. Lumicao

Filipino migrant workers who have lost their jobs prematurely due to termination, maltreatment and other employer violations of their contracts can apply for a Php20,000 livelihood aid from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration on their return home.

This little-known benefit was disclosed recently at Filipino community gatherings by new welfare attaché Marivic Clarin, and confirmed in an interview on Nov 22 by Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre.

Welfare Attaché Marivic Clarin

According to Labatt dela Torre, terminated workers who go home for good are endorsed to OWWA offices in the workers’ regions.

“Lahat ng terminated na umuuwi, binibigyan namin ng endorsement sa regional offices ng OWWA” so they can receive the livelihood aid, Labatt Dela Torre said.

But it appears there has not been a lot of takers in the eight years that the “Balik-Pinas, Balik-Hanapbuhay” program has been in existence.

Statistics from the Department of Labor and Employment show that only 260 OFWs have received the benefit as of the end of the third quarter this year.

This may be because OWWA is said to be meticulous in evaluating the returning worker’s proposed project so that the financial aid does not go to waste.

“Kasi, yung iba, ipinambabayad lang sa utang,” Clarin said.

She said the intent of the program is to help distressed OFWs, primarily wards of government shelters who have cases against their employers, those who are terminated for medical reasons, or are laid off due to their employers’ financial difficulties.

Clarin said the cash assistance comes with a development training to provide the recipients basic skills in doing the livelihood project of their choice.



The training is said to be provided by OWWA, other government agencies, as well as non-government organizations and OFW cooperatives or groups in the regions.

Evaluation and supervision of the project is conducted to ensure its success, especially now that the aid amount is bigger than before, Clarin said.



The livelihood assistance was put in place during the tenure of Former President Benigno Aquino III, but the aid given at the time was in the form of starter kits worth Php10,000.

Clarin said that since 2016, the livelihood grant had been doubled to PhP20,000.



But she admitted that the success rate among aid recipients has been low “because not everyone is cut out for business”.

One recipient, an illegally terminated worker from Naga City, told The SUN she applied for the assistance in January 2016 and got a check for PhP10,000. She said the check was not issued to her but to a local merchant who provided her a starter kit for her project.



Another former Hong Kong-based OFW who went to Russia only to discover it was a job scam, said she tried applying for the livelihood assistance but balked when she was told she would have to stay in the Philippines for good.

In Nueva Vizcaya province, where former OFWs have formed a cooperative and undertaken livelihood projects, there were 85 recipients of the OWWA assistance as of the end of the third quarter this year, said its president Cristina Gauuan Reyes.




She said in her barangay, there are 20 recipients whose projects, namely piggery, sari-sari store and fish vending, are being coordinated by the cooperative.

She said the “Balik-Pinas, Balik-Hanapbuhay” beneficiaries in the 15 municipalities of Nueva Vizcaya received PhP20,000 each, which they put into their chosen businesses. They received help from the provincial government in the form training.

The reintegration program was introduced to help former OFWs rejoin Philippine society by offering them livelihood opportunities if they decide to stay home for good.

20,000 HK workers already signed up for OFW ID

By Daisy CL Mandap

How the OFW ID looks like.

Around 20,000 overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong have already signed up for the OFW ID issued by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, which is expected to do away with the overseas employment certificate by early next year.

This was according to welfare officer Marivic Clarin, who said all those who have been signing up with Balik Manggagawa Online (BMOnline) have been told to also apply for the OFW ID. The number does not even include those who have decided to sign up online by themselves.

It’s OEC season again and queues wind around the building housing POLO offices.

Latest figures from OWWA show Hong Kong has registered a total of 19,865 applicants for the OFW ID. This was even before Nov. 18, when nearly 800 migrant workers who applied for the OEC were also asked to sign up for the OFW ID.

This put Hong Kong with the third highest number of registrants, next only to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, where there are millions of OFWs, compared to the 210,000 in the city.

By early next year, Clarin said the plan is to make the OFW ID replace the OEC as the gate pass at the airport by workers returning to their workplaces abroad.

“They’ll work on it (in the) first quarter of 2019 po dapat,” said Clarin.



In the meantime, those who already have the card and plan to go on vacation in the Philippines are still advised to get an OEC to be assured of getting cleared out of the airport.

There’s also another bit of good news for those applying to get their OFW IDs. Those who wish to get the card picked up by their designated relative at the OWWA office nearest their home can just send a signed authorization letter with a photocopy of the OFW’s passport with personal details.



Previously, the plan was to get the authorization letter authenticated at the Consulate.

When disclosed at a forum between Consulate officers and Filipino community leaders on Nov 11, the plan received a lot of flak from those who said the authentication, at $200 per document, would make the OFW Card very pricey.



This prompted Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre to suggest to Clarin to recommend that a simple authorization letter be enough for an OFW relative to pick up the card.

Earlier, talks that it would cost Php500 plus Php250 for delivery from a private provider, also prompted a howl of protest from OFWs, who were promised a free card by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.



But with OWWA now producing the e-card, OFWs are again assured that they’d get it for free.

Apart from ultimately serving as an exit pass similar to the OEC, the OFW ID is meant to serve as another identity document that can be used for official transactions with government agencies.



To apply, an OFW must have an active OWWA membership (with at least 90 days left before the expiry date indicated), a valid OEC exemption number, and a valid passport. Applications can be made directly by logging on to www.owwa.gov.ph

UPAA-HK watches historic basketball game, elects officers

UPAA HK are all smiles despite the loss of their basketball bet

By The SUN

Their alma mater’s team might have suffered an initial setback in its quest for an historic basketball crown, but members of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association in Hong Kong did not let it dampen their pre-Christmas celebration.

All eyes are on the game

The gathering in Repulse Bay on Dec. 1 proved to be auspicious. The UP Fighting Maroons long an underdog in UAAP, the university-wide league, managed to get through to the finals, and Dec 1 was set as the date of their initial best-of-three clash with the Ateneo Blue Eagles.

Members of UPAA did not lose time setting an early kick-off time for their annual general meeting and Christmas party so they could all watch the game, a history in itself as it was the first time in 32 years that UP had managed to get into the finals.

The new officers being sworn in by Labatt dela Torre: Renart, Erno, Low, Rigor, Colet and Solis

The group matched the cheers from fellow alumni as they watched the game live from the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. But the cheers turned to frustrated sighs as it became clear by the fourth and last quarter that UP was outclassed by Ateneo, at least for this round.

The game ended with Ateneo winning over UP the underdog by 9 points, 88-79.

But true to their university slogan, UP Fight!, UPAA HK members took no time shrugging off the loss, before proceeding to choose their officers for next year.

Elected unopposed were Rawna Crisostomo-Low, president; Sherina Manimtim- Erno, vice president; Marion Honquilado-Renart, secretary; Randy Solis, treasurer; Geralyn Rigor, auditor; and Chiqui Colet, PRO.

They were immediately sworn into office by Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre, who attended his first UPAA HK meeting to join his fellow alumni in watching the game.

Afterwards, the usual fun games were held including Pinoy Henyo centered on UP icons, which further eased the frustration felt by many in seeing their beloved Fighting Maroons suffer a heartbreaking loss.

But as is their wont, the group regrouped via whatsapp shortly after the meeting, this time to chat about the next game in the finals, set on Dec. 5. The game will determine whether Ateneo gets to win the UAAP crown automatically, or will be forced to a third and final rematch with UP.

Taekwondo group goes sailing to celebrate Christmas

Upto members gather for souvenir photo before disembarking.

By The SUN

They’re fit and healthy and they know it – but don’t flaunt it.

These are the members of the United Philippine Taekwondo Organization (Upto) Hong Kong who went sailing around Saikung on Dec. 2 aboard the pleasure yacht Angus, for a Christmas and 6^th anniversary celebration.

Part of the entertainment was a limbo-rock contest, and many of the contestants were limber enough to go under a bar set barely four feet above the ground. A bit higher up, and even a heavily pregnant member managed to clear the hurdle.

Members show their form in the limbo-rock contest

This is obviously what engaging in taekwondo does to anyone who regularly engages in the sport, which is what Upto is all about.

Regular practitioners are fit and nimble and have bodies to die for, but they see no reason to flaunt them.

The first Filipino Taekwondo group in Hong Kong formed in June 2012 has four 3^rd dan Kukkiwon Taekwondo black belters, including three of its founders and members of the Board of Directors: Mercy Permales, Eric Jacinto and Ednalyn Serran.

A demo performance on Chater Road

Two are 2^nd dan black belters, including the current president Wilma Colobong, and Christine Gaylan.

Below them are many members who regularly take part in competitions held around Hong Kong, with the next one coming up in January.

Upto members are happy enough attending regular training and competitions, but also take time off to have fun, like holding a hula contest in Repulse Bay, or going on charity walks.

As a public service, they also provide free training on Sundays to Filipinos interested to join them at four places across Hong Kong: Sheung Wan, Western, Tung Chung and Shatin. 

The other officers, apart from Colobong are: Marilyn Anorico, vice president; Melinda Monsalud, internal secretary; Rizalyn Magon, external secretary; Soledad Flores, treasurer; Lerma Mansilungan, auditor; Josephine Rebenque, PRO; Letecia Cayudong and Virginia Isla, business managers; and Joyce Ramirez, coordinator.

The instructors are Permales, Jacinto, Serran, Colobong, Gaylan, Rebenque, Ruth delos Santos, Rey Aldea and Margie Nava. Their technical adviser is Master Tze Hong Lai.

Below is the schedule of their free Sunday training sessions:

Sheung Wan Sports Centre 10:00am -12:00 noon

Sun Yat Sen Sports Centre (Western)  1:00pm 2:00pm

Tung Chung Sports Centre 1:00pm-3:00pm

Shatin Yuen Wo Road Sports Centre Shatin 10:00am 12:00noon

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