Showing posts with label OFW News. Show all posts
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2.9.25

MANILA – Government officials have reminded overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), including other Filipinos planning to work in Singapore, to strictly follow its labor laws.

In an advisory issued Tuesday, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), in coordination with the Philippine Embassy in Singapore on Wednesday, said taking on any paid work outside one’s primary employment —commonly known as “moonlighting”— is a punishable offense under Singaporean law.

“Moonlighting in Singapore is an offense. Foreign workers can be fined up to SGD20,000 and/or serve imprisonment of up to two (2) years. Foreign workers also risk the revocation of their passes and being barred from working in Singapore if found working illegally,” the advisory said.

The reminder came after a Singapore court ordered a 53-year-old Filipina household worker to pay SGD13,000 (around PHP579,000) for moonlighting as a part-time cleaner on her rest days.

She had been working in Singapore since 1994 and was found to have taken on part-time cleaning jobs between 2018 and 2024, breaching the conditions of her work pass, which only allows her to work for her official employer.

Her employer, who hired her for the side jobs, was also fined SGD7,000.

Meanwhile, the Philippine embassy also reminded Filipino tourists and other short-term visitors from engaging in any remunerated work, unless their work-related activity is eligible for a work pass exemption.

Foreign students holding a Student Pass may work if they meet specific requirements, such as enrolment in any of the approved learning institutions.

However, foreign exchange students doing study modules in Singapore are prohibited from being gainfully employed.

Foreign students or trainees under a training attachment program must hold a Training Work Permit, a Training Employment Pass, or be in the Work Holiday Programme.

The embassy said it is an offense for a foreign student under this category to work in Singapore without a valid work pass. (PNA)

Source: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1257882

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12.12.20

 MANILA – The government is looking at Europe as an alternative market for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were displaced by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

“The number one program for our migrant workers is to look for a new market for employment purposes. We are opening new markets where we can employ our overseas Filipino workers,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said on Thursday in a Laging Handa briefing.

He said among the potential new markets for the deployment of OFWs are Russia, Germany, United Kingdom, and eastern Europe.

"However, we are still being cautious because we want to make sure that once they go there, they would not be infected with Covid-19," he added.

Bello said job opportunities are also available locally especially in the construction industry and business process outsourcing.

"We had a recent meeting with the IT-BPO sector. They are in need of 30,000 call center agents. With that, more OFWs would be accommodated in terms of employment," he said.

Bello said livelihood programs are also available for those who would like to stay in the country to be with their families.

"We have the new concept of a collective livelihood program. Mas malaki ang mabibigay na livelihood assistance kung mag-form ang ating mga OFWs ng (Our OFWs would get bigger livelihood assistance if they will form an) association or cooperative. This is for our repatriated OFWs," he added.

To date, Bello said there are more than 250,000 OFWs who have been repatriated.

“As of 2 a.m. Thursday, 250,000 plus OFWs, have been repatriated and we are expecting an additional 100,000 to come home,” he said. (PNA)




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12.12.20

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) confirmed that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) has resumed the grant of employment permits for domestic workers as well as employment permits of foreign workers in government and semi-government entities and vital facilities in UAE.

POEA said that last Oct. 5, ICA has resumed accepting applications for work permits through its website www.ica.gov.ae.

Despite this, the POEA reminded that strict health measures will still be implemented in UAE ports and pretesting of COVID-19 prior to the workers’ arrivals will remain mandatory. “Arriving workers to UAE will also undergo strict quarantine for 14 days to be shouldered by their employers or institutions in coordination with concerned authorities,” it added.

Meanwhile, the POEA also announced that the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLO) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
(KSA) has been instructed to resume verification of employment documents of OFWs.

This after the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) allowed international travel of non-Saudis, including the return of Filipino workers to KSA upon presenting a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR result taken within 48 hours.

“The verification of documents, however, will be limited to 50 percent of the usual volume processed by POLOs in KSA with strict social distancing and health protocols as preventive measure against the spread of COVID-19,” POEA said.

POEA reminded that all OFWs and foreign principals availing of POLO’s “Balik Mangagawa” and verification services are advised to secure online appointment at www.poloriyadh.com.

“Only 50 Balik-Mangagawa clients per day will be accommodated while only 20 clients will be accommodated by POLO on the verification of their employment contract,” POEA explained.

POEA added that the Saudi Recruitment Agencies (SRA) will also be allowed to submit their verification documents once a week. Accreditation of new principals, the renewal of accreditation of erring foreign principals, as well as the application of job orders/additional job orders from construction and mega recruitment companies remain suspended, however.

Aside from a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR result, POEA reminded that all foreign travelers to KSA, including returning OFWs, are advised to download the “tetamen” and “tawakina” application for health and safety purposes and “must adhere to the preventive health protocols of home quarantine as determined by the Health Ministry.”

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1.2.20

OVERSEAS AND AUSTRALIAN EMPLOYMENT FACTORS

The awarding of points for skilled employment factors recognises the benefits of extensive work experience in a nominated skilled occupation or a closely related skilled occupation in providing for successful labour market outcomes. Relevant Australian and overseas skilled employment in the 10 year period immediately before the date the applicant was invited to apply for this visa can be considered for the purpose of awarding points.

The higher weighting of points able to be awarded for Australian skilled employment recognises the value that firsthand experience and understanding of the Australian work environment can have in assisting migrants to establish themselves in the Australian labour market and settle into life in Australia.

Periods of employment do not have to be continuous as it is the aggregated period of relevant employment experience that will be considered. Therefore, applicants can be eligible for points if their relevant skilled employment is interspersed by periods of non-related employment or other activities such as study.

For example,
if prior to applying for their points tested skilled migration visa an applicant whose nominated skilled occupation is Accountant works for 2 years as an Accountant, then undertakes postgraduate studies for 2 years, then works as an IT consultant for 2 years, then works as an Accountant for a further 3 years, the applicant would be eligible for points based on their 5 years employment experience as an Accountant (if the applicant’s relevant employment took place in the 10 years immediately before the time when the applicant was invited to apply for the visa).

Applicants may also be eligible for points for the employment factor if they have both Australian and overseas skilled employment experience.

For example, 
if prior to applying for their points tested skilled migration visa an applicant whose nominated occupation is assessed as a registered nurse works overseas for 5 years as a registered nurse then works in Australia on a temporary employment visa for 3 years as a registered nurse, the applicant would be eligible for points based on their 5 years’ overseas employment as well as their 3 years’ Australian employment experience.

However, it is not possible for applicants to combine shorter periods of skilled employment gained while working in and outside Australia in order to meet one of the Australian or overseas skilled employment experience factors. For example, an applicant cannot claim 3 years’ Australian employment by adding together 6 months’ overseas employment experience and 30 months’ Australian employment experience.
491 Skilled Regional Visa (Provisional)

The meaning of ‘employed’

Employed is defined to mean ‘engaged in an occupation for remuneration for at least 20 hours a week.’
Remuneration
For ‘remuneration’, the intention is that applicants have been engaged in the occupation on a paid basis. Mere emotional or psychological satisfaction or the acquisition of useful, but unpaid, professional experience is not considered ‘remuneration’ for points tested skilled migration purposes. A person receiving minimal living allowances or scholarships designed to cover expenses would not be considered to be remunerated.
Remunerated at least 20 hours a week
Working for at least 20 hours a week means 20 hours each week generally. However, where employment contracts provide for variable distribution of hours of work that extend beyond a week such as some shift workers, “fly in fly out” workers and seafarers, this can be taken into consideration in determining whether a person has worked ‘at least 20 hours per week.’
To evidence claims, applicants may be asked to provide detailed evidence of their terms of employment and salary payments.
Leave periods
As employment must be for remuneration, only periods of leave on full pay may be counted as time during which an applicant was employed. That means those periods of extended leave without pay (for example, maternity or paternity leave) might not be counted as a period of employment.
When can employment be considered skilled
For employment to be awarded points, it should meet the following standards:
  • had been undertaken at the required standard after the applicant met the entry level requirements as set by the relevant assessing authority for that occupation (that is, completed a sufficient level of study and or amount of on-the-job training and or post-qualification work experience and or registration requirement) and
  • involve duties at the level of depth and complexity expected in Australia.
If the relevant assessing authority has not provided an opinion on skilled employment and there are no standards set by the relevant assessing authority available in the public domain, the department would refer to guidance in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) when assessing the applicants’ skilled employment claims.
When is an applicant skilled
An applicant is considered skilled for the purpose of obtaining skilled employment points from the date the relevant assessing authority assessed them as suitable in their nominated skilled occupation:
  • If a skills assessment provides a date at which the assessing authority is of the view that the applicant became suitably skilled for awarding employment points, the department will consider only employment undertaken from that date as meeting the skilled employment experience criteria. For example, if an applicant has obtained a skilled employment opinion from Australian Computing Society (ACS), they should record in SkillSelect the periods of employment the ACS has determined are at the skilled level and eligible for being awarded points.
  • The date on which an applicant becomes suitably skilled for employment experience points may be different from the date on which a relevant assessing authority assesses the person as suitable. For example, a relevant assessing authority may issue a suitable skills assessment on the basis of attainment of a tertiary qualification but may require a period of post qualification work experience before considering an applicant as suitably skilled for the purpose of employment points.
  • If the applicant has made claims of skilled employment periods that are not considered by the assessing authority on the skills assessment, the department may refer to publicly available information set by the relevant assessing authority or ANZSCO in order to make a full assessment of the claims. This situation might arise if an applicant is claiming skills over a ten year period but the skills assessment states that it only assesses claims of work experience undertaken in the 5 years immediately prior to skills assessment.
Am I eligible for a TSS 482 visa?

The post Points for Work Experience (Skilled Visas) appeared first on Australian Migration Agents and Immigration Lawyers Melbourne | SeekVisa.
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30.1.20


WORK RIGHTS ON A STUDENT VISA 8105

(1A)  The holder must not engage in any work in Australia before the holder’s course of study commences.
(1)  Subject to subclause (2), the holder must not engage in work in Australia for more than 40 hours a fortnight during any fortnight when the holder’s course of study or training is in
session.
(2)  Subclause (1) does not apply:
(a)  to work that was specified as a requirement of the course when the course particulars were entered in the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students; and
(b)  in relation to a student visa granted in relation to a masters degree by research or doctoral degree if the holder has commenced the masters degree by research or doctoral degree.
(3)  In this clause:
fortnight means the period of 14 days commencing on a Monday.’

STUDENT WORK HOUR RESTRICTIONS

Student type When course is in session When course isn’t in session
Coursework students who have started their degree 40 hours per fortnight Unlimited hours
Research students who have started their degree Unlimited hours N/A
AusAwards or Defence students 40 hours per fortnight Unlimited hours


Visa Assessment Skilled Occupation List Skilled Visa Processing Times Visa Comparison Charts Skilled Migration News


SECONDARY APPLICANT’S ON STUDENT VISAS

Your partner can work full time as condition 8104 covers both master by research and coursework even though 8105 which is for the MAIN applicant ONLY allows only full time work for master by research or doctoral students.

8104 (all family members)

Condition number Who this applies to Description
8104
 All family member visa holders You cannot work more than 40 hours per fortnight. A fortnight means the period of 14 days starting on a Monday.
You must not start work until the primary student visa holder has started their course.
Exceptions – family members of the following students can work unlimited hours once the primary student visa holder has started their course:
  • students studying a master’s by coursework or research degree
  • students studying doctorate degree.

The post Work Rights on Student Visa appeared first on Australian Migration Agents and Immigration Lawyers Melbourne | SeekVisa.
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21.4.16
MANILA, Philippines – Money sent home by overseas Filipino workers are forecast to reach $29.7 billion this year, making the Philippines the world

Based on the World Bank’s Migration and Remittances Factbook 2016, India would be the top recipient of remittances which are seen to hit about $72.2 billion, followed by China with $63.9 billion and the Philippines.

Trailing behind are Mexico ($25.7 billion), France ($24.6 billion), Nigeria ($20.8 billion), the Arab Republic of Egypt ($20.4 billion), Pakistan ($20.1 billion), Germany ($17.5 billion), Bangladesh ($15.8 billion), Vietnam ($12.3 billion), Belgium ($11 billion), Spain ($10.5 billion), and Indonesia ($10.5 billion).

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) estimated that remittances coursed through the country’s bank system would expand over five percent from $24.31 billion in 2014.

The World Bank outlook is a mix of remittances coursed through the formal and non-formal sectors.

However, remittances as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) are projected to remain at 10 percent.

The same report likewise disclosed that international migrants would send $601 billion to their families in their home countries this year, with developing countries receiving $441 billion.

“At more than three times the size of development aid, international migrants’ remittances provide a lifeline for millions of households in developing countries. In addition, migrants hold more than $500 billion in annual savings. Together, remittances and migrant savings offer a substantial source of financing for development projects that can improve lives and livelihoods in developing countries,” Dilip Ratha, co-author of the report, said.

The World Bank said the real size of remittances is “significantly larger” as there are unrecorded flows through the formal and informal sectors.

More than 247 million people, or 3.4 percent of the world population, live outside their countries of birth.

Although the number of international migrants rose from 175 million in 2000 to more than 247 million in 2013 and will surpass 251 million in 2015, the share of migrants has remained just above three percent (of world population) for the last 15 years.

The top migrant destination country is the US, followed by Saudi Arabia, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Spain, and Australia.

Last year, the United States had an estimated $56 billion in outward flows, followed by Saudi Arabia ($37 billion), and Russia ($33 billion).

For the Philippines, the top destinations are Saudi Arabia, other Middle East/North Africa (MENA), the US and Canada, and Asia.

The top six immigration countries, relative to population, are outside the high-income OECD countries: Qatar (91 percent), United Arab Emirates (88 percent), Kuwait (72 percent), Jordan (56 percent), and Bahrain (54 percent).

“There is ample research to demonstrate that migration, both of highly-skilled and low skilled workers, generates numerous benefits for receiving and sending countries. The diaspora of developing countries and return migration can be a source of capital, trade, investment, knowledge, and technology transfers,” the report added.

Last year,  there were 14.4 million refugees (excluding 5.1 million Palestinian refugees), accounting for six percent of international migrants. About 86 percent of the refugees were hosted by developing countries, with Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon, Iran, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Chad, and Uganda as the largest host countries.

In contrast, the number of refugees in advanced countries was 1.6 million.

The top 10 leading source countries of refugees last year were Syria Arab Republic, West Bank and Gaza, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Congo, Myanmar, Central African Republic and Iraq.
’s third largest recipient of remittances, according to the World Bank.
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16.3.15
Remittances by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in January rose at their slowest pace in five years, the latest data from the central bank showed on Monday, with the slowdown traced to the additional public holidays declared for the Philippine visit of Pope Francis during the month.

OFWs’ personal remittances increased 0.2 percent to $2.01 billion in the first month of this year from the $2 billion recorded a year earlier, according to data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

The pace was the slowest expansion in remittances seen since 2009. For comparison, the rate for January remittance growth in the years from 2010 through 2014 has ranged from a low of 6.4 percent to a high of 9.5 percent, as shown by BSP data.

Impact of extra holidays
“While optically weak, we think the print likely reflects some impact from the three additional public holidays during Pope Francis’ state visit over January 15 to 19, which led to bank closures during the period,” analysts at UK-based investment bank Barclays wrote in a commentary.

The analysts also pointed out that the weakness in remittances is consistent with other data for January, such as exports, which were also negatively impacted by the additional public holidays.

The Barclays analyst added that there was also likely to be some payback in the data from the strength in December last year, meaning that some OFWs likely ‘over-remitted’ in December and sent less in January. The amount sent home by the OFWs in December reached its highest monthly level to date at $2.56 billion.

“As such, we would not read too much into the unusual weakness of this month’s data, as we are likely to see a recovery in February,” Barclay’s concluded.

For full-year 2014 (correct?), personal remittances set an all-time high for the Philippines at $26.93 billion.

Job order processing lags
While not drawing any conclusions in its press statement, the central bank suggested another possible reason for slowing remittances with the disclosure that preliminary reports by the Philippines Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) indicated that only 26.3 percent of 77,009 total approved job orders in January were processed during the period.

Processed job orders were intended mainly for service, production, and professional, technical and related workers in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates.

BSP sees continued strength
The BSP highlighted “continued demand for skilled Filipino manpower, which contributed to the steady inflow of remittances” in pointing out that despite the sharp slowdown and growth, personal remittances did expand slightly (0.2), driven by more than $1.5 billion transferred by land-based OFWs with longer-term (one year or more) contracts.

Meanwhile, remittances from both sea-based and land-based workers with short-term contracts totaled $500 million.

Personal remittances consist of the net compensation for OFWs, personal transfers such as current transfers in cash or in kind, as well as other household-to-household transfers between Filipinos abroad and capital transfers between households.

Cash remittances up 0.5%
The central bank data also showed that cash remittances coursed through banks rose by 0.5 percent year-on-year to $1.81 billion in January.

Cash transfers from land-based workers reached $1.4 billion, while those from sea-based workers totaled $500 million.

The BSP data showed that the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Canada were the major sources of cash remittances.
Source: www.manilatimes.net
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16.3.15
MANILA, Philippines – Napapasaklolo ang mga kapamilya ng isang Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) sa Department of Foreign Affairs at Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) na nakakulong ngayon sa Kuwait makaraang ma-set-up umano na magdala ng iligal na droga­ sa bansang Kuwait nang wala itong kaalaman, da­lawang buwan na ang nakakalipas.

Sa panawagan ni Abigael Destajo, ng Bilibiran, Binangonan, Rizal, dalawang buwan nang nakakulong sa Kuwait ang kanyang hipag na si Clarita Abnes Destajo makaraang arestuhin paglapag sa paliparan sa naturang bansa.

Sa salaysay ni Des­tajo, nag-apply si Clarita sa LMB Worldwide Ser­vices Inc., bilang isang domestic helper, sa pa­mamagitan ng ABCA Recruitment Agency. Enero 15 nang umalis si Clarita patungo sa Kuwait ngunit bago umalis nagtungo muna ito sa bahay ng sekretarya ng ABCA Agency sa may Angono, Rizal na si Ca­therine Castillo Saquing at dito ipinakisuyo umano ng ina nito ang pagpapadala ng isang figurine na nakalagay sa isang kahon na pula. Hindi naman ito kinuwestiyon ni Clarita dahil sa ipangdi­display lamang umano ito ni Saquing sa opisina sa Kuwait.

Nang makalapag sa paliparan sa Kuwait, ma­tagal umanong naghintay si Clarita sa kanyang sundo na isang “Yvonne”, isa ring sekretarya ng agency sa naturang bansa.

Ngunit sumulpot na agad ang isang pulis-Kuwait na nagpumilit na buksan ang kanyang bagahe partikular ang padala sa kanya na pigurin. Dito nakita ang isang plastic bag na may lamang puting pulbos na umano’y iligal na droga.

Dito na inaresto si Clarita ng pulisya at kasalukuyang naka­detine sa naturang bansa. Nabatid lamang ang sinapit ni Clarita nang duma­ting sa Pilipinas ang na­­kasama sa kulungan nito na si Lorenza Abril na nagtiyagang hanapin ang address ni Clarita sa bansa.

“Ako at ang aking buong pamilya ay lubos na nagmamakaawa na sana matulungan n’yo po kami sa pagsubok na ito. Natatakot po kami na baka tuluyang masiraan ng bait ang aking ate. Lumalapit naman po kami sa local agency n’ya pero parang hindi po umuusad ang kaso ni Clarita,” bahagi ng pahayag ni Destajo. Source: www.philstar.com
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26.2.15
Emerging markets in Asia and Africa still reign supreme: They're at the top of global growth projections over the next two years.

The world is expected to grow 3.2 percent in 2015 and 3.7 percent next year after expanding 3.3 percent in each of the past two years, according to a Bloomberg survey of economists. China, the Philippines, Kenya, India and Indonesia, which together make up about 16 percent of global gross domestic product, are all forecast to grow more than 5 percent in 2015.

By comparison, the U.S. and U.K., which combined account for about a quarter of global growth, are expected to grow 3.1 percent and 2.6 percent this year, respectively. The euro area probably will expand just 1.2 percent as European Central Bank President Mario Draghi deals with a fragile Greece and embarks on a bond-purchase program to stimulate the region's growth.

China still remains the fastest-growing G-20 nation, even though the Asian economy is no longer expanding at the pace it did a few years ago. China's economy grew 7.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014 from a year earlier, and is expected to slow to 7 percent in 2015.

To counter that slowdown, People's Bank of China policy makers are boosting monetary stimulus. The central bank cut its benchmark interest rate in November for the first time since 2012. This month officials lowered by 50 basis points the deposit reserve ratio, which is the amount of reserves that banks need to keep on hand.
Nigeria, Africa's largest economy, is projected to expand 4.9 percent this year, according to the Bloomberg survey. Kenya will probably grow 6 percent in 2015, even as unemployment and poverty remain stubbornly high, with over 40 percent of Kenyans living below the poverty line.

U.S. growth forecasts for 2015 are coalescing around 3 percent even as the dollar soars to its highest level in more than a decade. As growth picks up, the Federal Reserve is weighing whether to raise interest rates for the first time since 2006. Their benchmark federal funds rate has remained near zero since December 2008.

OFW Remittances continue to support the country’s balance of payments (BOP), which gauges our capacity to meet external trade obligations and foreign debts. As of January, BOP recorded a surplus of $ 2.043 billion.

These remittances came mainly from the US, which accounted for 39 percent of the total inflows, central bank figures showed. It was followed by Canada (11 percent), Saudi Arabia (7.6 percent), the United Kingdom (5.3 percent), the United Arab Emirates (4.7 percent), Singapore (3.9 percent) and Japan (3.8 percent).

It is important to note here that out of the billions of dollars in annual remittances sent by OFWs, a sizable volume is generated from Saudi Arabia, which helps in stabilizing the Philippine economy.
Source: bloomberg.com/news/articles
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5.10.14
MANILA - The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) suspended a recruiter from collecting fees higher than what was allowed by law.

The suspension was ordered against Lexus Incorporated after 20 Filipino factory workers the agency deployed to Taiwan filed separate complaints of overcharging at the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) Labor Affairs in Kaohsiung on July 2014.

POEA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said the workers alleged that Lexus charged each of them placement fees ranging from P90,000 to P130,000. They signed employment contracts with a monthly salary of NT$18,000 to NT$19,000 or equivalent to about P28,000. The agency also did not issue the appropriate receipts for their payment.

Cacdac said a recruitment agency is authorized to collect from its hired workers an amount equivalent to one month salary, exclusive of documentation and processing costs.

Section 2 b, Rule 1, Part 6 of the 2002 POEA Rules and Regulations prohibits "charging or accepting directly or indirectly any amount greater than that specified in the schedule of allowable fees prescribed by the Secretary, or making a worker pay any amount greater than that actually received by him as a loan or advance."

Cacdac advised Filipino job seekers to avoid licensed recruiters that continue to defy the government’s placement fee policy. Source: abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino
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21.9.14
QUEZON CITY, Sept 22 -- Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) will have easier means to benefit from the programs and services of the Social Security System (SSS) with the launching of the newly created OFW Contact Center Unit (OFW-CSU), starting October this year.

SSS Senior Vice President and International Operations Division Head Judy Frances A. See said the new unit will handle direct contact points for OFWs to allow for a more differentiated servicing and faster resolution of their SSS concerns.

For its initial operations, the OFW-CSU will provide dedicated e-mail support and local call services from 6 am to 10 pm on weekdays.


In addition, a special assistance desk will be available at the SSS main office in Diliman, Quezon City for walk-in transactions of OFWs, such as registration and issuance of SS numbers, enrollment in Flexi-fund Program, and verification of SSS records. It will also provide OFW members assistance in filing their loans, benefit claims and other SSS applications.

“We understand the unique circumstances of our Kababayan abroad, and so we continue to find ways to make the SSS more accessible to them. The creation of a specialized contact unit for OFWs will enable us to identify their distinct needs and address them accordingly. It will also help us manage the level of transactions with other member service facilities more effectively,” See explained.

OFWs and their families in the Philippines can reach the OFW-CSU by e-mail at ofw.relations@sss.gov.ph or through their service hotlines, (02) 364-7796 and (02) 374-7798.

See added that additional channels and service facilities have been lined up for implementation to fully complement the unit's operations.

“We will open international toll-free numbers so OFWs across the globe can call us without having charges on their end. OFW-CSU's operating hours will also be extended to 24/7 once the required systems are in place,” See said.

Other services that will be rolled out soon include online contact points that utilize VoIP and instant messaging platforms.

“This is still part of our campaign to reach out to Filipino workers here and abroad and ensure their continuing coverage under the SSS. We want not only to increase SSS membership of OFWs but also to ensure active membership. Considering the voluntary nature of their coverage, we can only achieve both by giving them a consistent good experience with our services,” See said.

The SSS reported a total of 983,262 OFW members as of June 2014. Based on the 2013 POEA Compendium of OFW Statistics, more than 1.8-million OFWs were deployed in 2013, of which 464,888 were new hires. (SSS) Source: pia.gov.ph
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20.9.14
MANILA - The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has reiterated its advice to overseas Filipino workers to take preventive measures against the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) after a Filipina nurse from Saudi Arabia tested positive for the deadly MERS-CoV.

In a news release, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said that while there is no travel restriction or deployment ban to Middle East countries relative to the MERS-CoV, newly-hired or returning overseas Filipino workers and OFWs on-site should take preventive measures against it.

In an earlier advisory, POEA Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac said OFWs working in the Middle East were told to heed the following guidelines for their safety and protection:
  1. Practice proper hand hygiene always, by washing your hands with soap or hand rubs with alcohol before and after eating; before and after handling, cooking, and preparing food; after coughing, sneezing, and using the toilets; and before and after touching animals.
  2. Practice proper cough etiquette by covering your mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing. Use a facial tissue when coughing or sneezing and cover your mouth and nose with it. Dispose the tissue in a waste basket.
  3. Avoid contact with farm and domesticated animals, including camels.
  4. Avoid contact with sick or infected with MERS-CoV. If you have respiratory illness, stay home and wear a surgical mask to protect your family members.
  5. If you are a health worker, strictly follow infection control protocols in your work.
  6. Visit your doctor, a hospital, or health facility immediately if symptoms of MERS-CoV manifest itself, including persistent coughing and other symptoms.
  7. If you were in close contact with a confirmed MERS-CoV patient, comply with local health regulations and postpone any trip abroad until after test results are negative.
  8. Practice healthy habits such as regular exercise, balanced and nutritional diet, and adequate sleep of at least eight hours, as it would help strengthen the body’s immune system.
  9. Do not panic and believe rumors regarding MERS-CoV. Make sure information comes from relevant government authority.
Cacdac said that for returning OFWs, especially those from MERS-CoV affected country or countries, the DOH advises them to do the following:
  1. Monitor your health for at least 14 days.
  2. Should you develop signs and symptoms (fever, headache, sore throat, body weakness, cough, difficulty of breathing, unexplained bruising or bleeding, severe diarrhea), cover your mouth and nose with a piece of cloth, handkerchief, or surgical mask to prevent spread of infection.
  3. You may call any of the following numbers:
  • Bureau of Quarantine:              
    Tel. No. (632) 320-9101
    (632) 320-9107
  • OPCEN-HEMS
    Tel. Nos. +63 922-884-1564
    +63 920-949-8419
    +63 915-772-5621
  • National Epidemiology Center (NEC), Department of Health (DOH)
    Tel. No. (632) 743-1937
He also advised recruitment agencies of OFWs to conduct special briefings on precautionary measures against MERS-COV for their recruited workers. The recruitment agencies are further enjoined to report to the DOH any MERS-CoV case affecting their deployed workers.
Source: interaksyon.com
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18.9.14
Overseas Filipino workers took to social media to protest the automatic inclusion of the P550 terminal fee in airplane ticket costs, a new setup that will start on October 1, according to a report on GMA News' “Unang Balita” on Tuesday.

While officials from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport stated that refunds are available for OFWs—who by law are exempted from paying terminal fees—the workers claimed the process for getting the refunds presents extra burden to them.

Using the hashtag #Noto550, individuals and pro-migrant groups around the world lambasted the new ruling.

Global OFW Voices, a migrant Filipino group, even created a petition protesting the inclusive P550 service charge and asking the Department of Transportation and Communications to exempt all OFWs from the charge.

The protesters cited Republic Act 10022 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, which exempts OFWs from terminal fee.

"Yung mga kagaya namin na nasa labas ng bansa at kumpanya ang bumibili ng ticket, embedded na daw yung terminal fee, so walang kwenta na OFW kami at exempted kasi company naman ang nagbabayad, at dahil hindi namin pera, baka sakaling di na kami magpapa-refund," they wrote in their petition. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News Source: gmanetwork.com/news
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17.9.14
MANILA - The Philippines ranked second in terms of efficiency in sending Filipino workers to South Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS).

"The data highlights presented by the Human Resources Development Korea (HRD Korea) covering all 15 countries participating in the EPS place the Philippines in a very positive light," Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said.

It only takes the POEA about 50 days to process EPS workers for South Korea. But Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz challenged the POEA to cut down the process cycle time to less than 45 days or even to 30 days.

The DOLE congratulated the government of South Korea on the occasion of the 10th anniversary celebration of the EPS, a government-to-government arrangement whereby Korean employers who fail to hire local workers are allowed to employ foreign workers in certain Korean industries.

"I congratulate the government of South Korea for a running success such as the EPS. The Philippines, as one of the EPS-participating countries, has enormously benefited from this overseas employment arrangement, and I am grateful for this opportunity that has provided employment to over 39,418 OFWs over the last 10 years,” said Baldoz.

The Philippines sent the first batch of 99 OFWs to South Korea under the EPS on August 31, 2004.Starting with only US$500 salary per month, the salary of an EPS worker has double to more than US$1,000 per month.

Aside from the Philippines, Other countries participating in the Korea EPS are Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, China, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar and East Timor.

Meanwhile, the Philippines has reduced the number of illegal stayers in South Korea over the last three years from 30.6 percent in December 2012 to only 19.6 percent in June this year.
Source: abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino
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16.9.14
This time, although he had in the past sent some letters that were attributed to him, our featured reader wishes anonymity in deference to his friendship with a currently high-ranking government official. He has chosen to share his views on the Filipino overseas worker. Read on.

“I would like to give my own suggestion on how our government could make good use of a small part of OFW [overseas Filipino worker] remittances. But before I go on, I would like to share with you a little about myself, which I think is relevant to my suggestion.

“I am a 59-year-old bachelor who has worked in Saudi Arabia, Sultanate of Oman, Libya, State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Bahrain. I have been in the Philippines now since May 2010 and although I had close to P1 million in 2010, and am now managing a six-hectare family-owned tree farm (3,500 mahogany trees and 100 grafted pili nut trees with a small piggery) and am about to start my pili nut business, in hindsight I must admit that I could have saved a lot more if I had practiced financial planning with lots of discipline.

“With the number of years I worked abroad, I don’t consider myself successful and that is why this time, I would like to share my suggestion to others.

No. 1 expense

“In my experience, the no.1 expense of majority of OFWs is for appliances and gadgets and good time. Ang karamihan, ang gusto pag uwi – kahit isang taon pa lang sa abroad – ay may bitbit na TV, sound system, o cellphone etc. at kadalasan ay yung mamahalin pa (Many OFWs who go home, even if they have worked only for a year, want to bring home a TV, sound system or cellphone, often the more expensive brands).

“At paguwi tuwing bakasyon, blowout dito at blowout doon, good time dito at good time doon (And when on vacation at home, they spend on treating out friends and family). The intention really is very good. They want to make tatay, nanay, mga anak at mga kapatid very happy, but usually forget about saving for the future.

“My suggestion is this. I hope the government could devise a program wherein OFWs will be encouraged to save $50 each a month to be deposited exclusively in just one bank (for example, Landbank) that can be withdrawn only after two years with additional interest.

Building OFW homes

“One million OFWs saving $50 million a month will mean P600 million a year or P24 billion a year. This fund could be used exclusively by Pag-IBIG to help in the building of houses for OFWs in pursuance of the ultimate dream of any OFW, which is to have his own house.

“With a little sacrifice and corresponding discipline, saving $50 a month is not much for a regular OFW. But the accumulated fund yearly, I believe, will go a long way in supporting the housing industry of our country particularly for OFWs.

“And those who join the program will at least have ready cash of P50,000 na pang Jollibee at pamamasyal with the family or other worthy expenditures every two years, not to mention their contribution to the building of houses for their fellow OFWs if not also for themselves.

“Thank you very much for writing about issues that matters much to the ordinary Filipino and more power to you.”

NFA in good hands?

Our next letter comes from our suki, Manuel Q. Bondad, who tackles once again the ongoing issue of rice supply for the country. Here goes.

“[It is] an uplifting development that key reform measures for the NFA [National Food Authority] are up for discussion.

“For the state grains agency, under fire of late again for the rise in prices of commercial rice at the retail and wholesale levels, the final outcome of the 2012 Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) is revealing.

“Released in January 2014, [the National Statistic Office’s] FIES could be a reliable source of accurate national consumption benchmark (conflicting at 34,000 mt and 31,000 mt daily) [that could prove] indispensable in projecting buffer stock and timely imports as dictated by national interest.

“Not only that, 2.323 million families spend an average of P6,078 yearly per family for NFA rice for home consumption, compared to P10,383 per family (8.253 million families for well milled), and P13,818 per family (17.607 million families for regular milled).

“Excluding rice expenditure outside our homes, the P352 billion (and some 22 million households) top the politicians’ numbers and their PDAP/DAP, enough basis for the professionals (CB [Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas, NEDA [National Economic Development Authority], DBP [Development Bank of the Philippines) and the NFA tandem (Francisco Pangilinan/Arthur Juan) to focus on food security.

“With only four percent share of expenditures, all eyes (and fury) are on the NFA when retail prices of commercial rice skyrocket. But beware, commercial traders and even millers. Consumers now turn to NFA imported rice for relief at P27-P32.

“The NFA, long targeted for abolition, can now justify its continued existence.”

Parking for senior citizens

This next letter comes from Gilda “Vanessa” Figueroa complaining about a now growing controversial issue. I hope that local government units and the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs can clear this issue soonest.

“Kudos to your Aug. 28, 2014 article on parking for Seniors.

“May I just inform you that Robinsons Magnolia has only 40 allotted parking slots for seniors; likewise Ayala Trinoma (I forget now how many slots); and others. The senior (citizen) is asked to pay if there are no more available vacant slots.

“Is there a law that says malls and establishments can only give a (limited) number of senior citizen slots?

“Please enlighten because we are made to fall in line and wait for a next available slot for seniors even if there are normal slots available. Sometimes, it takes almost an hour or more until we just give up and relent to pay the parking fee.

“We were told by the guards and the cashier of the parking: either we wait indefinitely or we are ought to pay.

“I hope you can bring this issue out there to inform the authorities as this is causing seniors unnecessary stress. I hope the local government can look into this matter for the protection of all senior citizens of the Philippines.” Source: philstar.com/business
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13.9.14
MANILA -- A scholar of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) earned the top spot in the Geodetic Engineer Licensure Examination held last August.

Ivy Elaine Cadalzo, 21, from Malabon City, is a recipient of the agency's Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP). She garnered a rating of 89% in the test, ranking first among the 179 successful examinees.

Cadalzo's father is an industrial mechanic working in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

"OWWA scholars once again proved their mettle as deserving of the educational assistance we provided to dependents of our member contributors as they continue to stay competitive in their respective field of discipline," OWWA Administrator Rebecca J. Calzado said.

EDSP is OWWA's competitive scholarship grant where an OFW dependent of an active OWWA member can take any four-to-five year course leading to baccalaureate degree.

Only the top 200 passers in the qualifying examinations administered by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) can avail of the scholarship worth P30,000 per semester.

In the past years, OWWA produced several graduates who finished their course with Latin honors. In 2010, two OWWA scholars graduated with honors, and 28 scholars graduated either as magna cum laude or cum laude in 2011. There were 29 OWWA scholars who graduated with honors both in 2012 and 2013.

This year, OWWA recorded 1 summa cum laude, 7 magna cum laude, 32 cum laude, and 4 with citations, or a total of 40 academic medal awardees. Source: abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino
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12.9.14
MANILA – A recruitment agency deploying construction workers for New Zealand was suspended by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

“The order of preventive suspension issued against Sacred Heart International shall bar the agency from deploying overseas Filipino workers,” POEA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said in a statement.

Cacdac issued the order after it received a complaint from a group of eight Filipino construction workers in New Zealand who complained of illegal exaction or placement fee.

The workers claimed that Sacred Heart charged each of them P330,000, but it only issued them receipts for P120,000. Their complaint was endorsed by the Philippine Embassy in New Zealand.

They also claimed the agency referred them to lending companies, which charged them with high interest rates, which amounted to half a million pesos.

The suspension order will take effect until POEA concludes its investigation.

He said the probe will also cover Sacred Heart’s foreign counterpart placement agency, Business Immigration, and the employer of the affected workers in New Zealand, Valiant Homes Limited.

“Business Immigration and Valiant Homes, Inc. meanwhile cannot hire OFWs from the Philippines until further ordered by the POEA,” Cacdac said. Source:
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12.9.14
MANILA - The issues of placement fees and other concerns of overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong were among the subjects tackled during the meeting between Philippine labor and consulate officials and the Hong Kong Labor Department.

"Their discussion focused on the need to cooperate with each other in addressing the concerns of Filipino household service workers in Hong Kong, particularly on placement fee issues and workers' complaints against their employers," said DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz.

Labor Attache Manuel Roldan and Consul General Bernardita Casalla met with Commissioner Donald Tong, Deputy Commissioner Byron Ng, Assistant Commissioner Nicholas Chan, and Queenie Wong, a senior administrative office of the Hong Kong Labor Department.

In his report, Roldan explained to the Hong Kong Labor Department the Philippines' processes and procedures in hiring Filipino workers, emphasizing the government's 'no placement fee' policy, the process of accrediting Hong Kong-based employment agencies with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, and the responsibilities to the workers they hire.

Consul General Catalla raised the issue of the prevailing practice of Hong Kong-based agencies of collecting placement fees from workers, in violation of Hong Kong laws which allows only a service fee of 10 percent of a worker's first month's salary.

Roldan added, "Upon their arrival, they are brought by the agency to a Hong Kong lending company to sign a loan document specifying an amount that they had to pay through monthly installment of between five to seven months".

Workers are asked to pay through various 7-Eleveln branches. They are also made to open a bank account but are required to surrender their ATM cards to their agencies.

"The agencies give to the worker only the balance of their salaries after the amount of service fee for the month has been deducted," Roldan said.

To encourage more OFWs to actually file complaints against their employers and agencies, Catalla suggested that the Consulate--which is open on Sundays--accept the reports, summarize it and then forward it to the Hong Kong Labor Department.

Both parties were amenable to the case-referral system and recommended that this be the subject of further meetings.

"Through the case-referral system, the availability of OFWs to seek redress for their grievances and of Hong Kong authorities to hear them will no longer be an issue," said Baldoz.
Source: abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino
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12.9.14
BAGUIO CITY, Sept. 11 (PIA)- -  Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) across the globe who will save at least 600 a month with Pag-IBIG Fund will get a chance to win US$10,000 in Pag-IBIG’s  second  “Dagdag Ipon Raffle Promo”. 

Pag-IBIG Fund Baguio Branch Information Officer Philip Raymund Salem said the raffle promo is open to all qualified Pag-IBIG OFW members who will remit a minimum of P600.00 Pag-IBIG I member’s savings in a single transaction within the duration of the promo period from July 1 to December 31, 2014.

To join the promo, the member should  remit Pag-IBIG I member’s savings to any of the following: Over-the-counter at any Pag-IBIG Fund OFW Center, any Pag-IBIG Fund Branch in the Philippines and any of the OEC Processing Centers in the Philippines.

Payments can also be remitted Online via Credit Card using any Visa and MasterCard credit cards or through overseas remittance partners which include Philippine National Bank  Overseas Bills Payment System (PNB-OBPS), MetroBank (OBPS), Asia United Bank and Non-Banks (i-Remit, Ventaja International, PayPilipinas).

Once remittance of the contribution has been made, OFWs will just have to visit www.pagibigfund.gov.ph and click the “Filipinos Working Abroad” web button, and then the “Join the raffle promo” link. This procedure, however, will only be done once, wherein the member will be required to update his record to validate his entry to the raffle promo. The succeeding entries will be automatically registered upon remittance of at least P600 membership savings.

Based on the promo mechanics for this year, every P600 savings remitted in a single transaction is equivalent to one electronic raffle entry. Thus, a member who will contribute P1,200 will get two raffle entries, and so forth.

There will be three raffle draws. All entries from July 1, 2014 to August 31, 2014 will be included on the first preliminary draw  on September 19. The 2nd preliminary draw will be on November 21, wherein all entries from July 1,  to October 31, 2014 will be included.

All entries from July 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014 will be included in the grand draw   on January 16, 2015, Salem explained.

Aside from the cash prize of US$10,000, Pag-IBIG Fund will be giving away 12 units Smartphones, 8 units iPad mini 2 16GB, 12 sets 3D Smart TV, 5 vacation packages and 4 airline tickets.

All electronic raffle entries corresponding to the validated remittances will be sent through the email address registered by the member. (JDP/MAWC – PIA CAR) Source: news.pia.gov.ph
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5.9.14
Overseas Filipino workers returning abroad may soon get the Overseas Employment Certificates (OECs) from a home computer or an Internet cafe.

This was after the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) held a soft launch of its Balik Manggagawa online processing system.

"We are soft-launching our Balik Manggagawa (BM) Online System, which aims to streamline processing of overseas employment certificates (OECs). The idea is to provide access to an appointment facility or an OEC self-print out system at the BM's convenience," POEA administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said.

He said those who want to try out the new system can log on to bmonline.poea.gov.ph.

The site indicated the service is available only for:
  1. - workers on vacation
  2. - workers rehired
  3. - workers returning to the same employer
  4. - those with existing record in the POEA database.
OFWs who had registered with the system can log in while new users have to fill out an online form.

Also, Cacdac said some previously issued OECs by Philippine Overseas Labor Offices have still not been enrolled with the system, "in which case the BM will be guided to the appointment system."

"There will be a P100 POEA fee and a P19.50 service fee for use of the e-payment portal," he added.  — Joel Locsin /LBG, Source: gmanetwork.com/news
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