OWWA
Overseas
Workers
Welfare
Administration
Racquel L. Llagas-Kunting
Course on Assistance-to-Nationals for Foreign Service Personnel
23 June 2017, DFA-FSI
First of all,
THANK YOU.
QUICK SURVEY
Previously Deployed?
Where?
Assigned to ATN services
(in-country) ?
MANAGEMENT OF
EXPECTATIONS
What do you expect
to be discussed?
MANAGEMENT OF EXPECTATIONS … cont’d
Content Focus:
- OWWA programs & services
- Onsite operations
MANAGEMENT OF EXPECTATIONS … cont’d
Methodology
“inter-active”
How well do you know
OWWA?
What OWWA is…
What OWWA is not…
LEGAL FOUNDATION
R.A. 10801
An Act Governing the Operations
and Administration of the Overseas
Workers Welfare Administration
LEGAL FOUNDATION … cont’d
Otherwise known as the
OWWA ACT
NATURE AND
FUNCTIONS
One of the principal agencies of the
State to serve and promote the
rights, interest and welfare of the
OFWs and their families
NATURE AND FUNCTIONS… cont’d
A national government agency vested
with the special function of
developing and implementing welfare
programs and services that respond
to the needs of its member-OFWs and
their families.
NATURE AND FUNCTIONS… cont’d
It is endowed with power
to administer a trust fund
called the OWWA Fund
NATURE AND FUNCTIONS… cont’d
a. To protect the interest and
promote the welfare of member-
OFWs in all phases of overseas
employment;
NATURE AND FUNCTIONS… cont’d
b. To facilitate the provisions of the Labor
Code, as amended; the Migrant Workers and
Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, as amended,
concerning the responsibility of the
government to promote the well-being of
OFWs. Pursuant thereto, and in furtherance
thereof, OWWA shall provide legal assistance
to member-OFWs.
NATURE AND FUNCTIONS… cont’d
c. To provide social and welfare
programs and services to member-
OFWs;
NATURE AND FUNCTIONS… cont’d
d. To provide prompt and appropriate
response to global emergencies or
crisis situations affecting OFWs and
their families;
NATURE AND FUNCTIONS… cont’d
e. To ensure the efficiency of
collections and the viability and
sustainability of the OWWA
fund;
NATURE AND FUNCTIONS… cont’d
6. To undertake studies and
researches for the enhancement of
the social, economic, and cultural
well-being of member-OFWs and
their families;
NATURE AND FUNCTIONS… cont’d
7. To develop, support and finance
specific projects for the welfare of
member-OFWs and their families; and
NATURE AND FUNCTIONS… cont’d
8. To ensure the implementation of
all laws and ratified international
conventions within its jurisdiction.
THE OWWA FUND
A private fund held in
trust by the OWWA.
THE OWWA FUND
The sum total of the amounts under
the management and fiscal
administration of the OWWA:
a. US $25.00 membership fee;
b. Investment and interest income;
and
c. Income from other sources
THE OWWA FUND
The OWWA fund can only
be used for the purposes
for which it was created,
that is, to serve the welfare
of member-OFWs and their
families.
GAA Allocation:
Congress shall appropriate
necessary amount for personal
services (PS), and maintenance
and other operating expenses
(MOOE)
OWWA MEMBERSHIP
Membership is obtained in 2 ways:
1. Compulsory registration upon
processing of employment
contracts at the POEA; and
2. Voluntary registration at the
jobsites, or through electronic
registration.
MEMBERSHIP COVERAGE
• Effective upon payment of
membership contribution
in the amount of US$25
• Active until two years
OWWA is present in the entire
MIGRATION CYCLE
Return & Reintegration
Pre-departure
30 overses welfare offices
in 27 countriess
USA
Brunei
Hong Kong, SAR
Japan
Malaysia
Macau, SAR
Singapore
South Korea
Taipei Kaohsiung Taichung
14 in the Middle East
Riyadh/CRO, KSA Abu Dhabi, UAE
Al-Khobar, KSA Dubai, UAE
Jeddah, KSA
Beirut, Lebanon
Manama, Bahrain Muscat, Oman
Amman, Jordan Doha, Qatar
Tel-Aviv, Israel Damascus, Syria
Kuwait Tripoli, Libya
6 in Europe &
1 in North America
Milan, Italy
Rome, Italy
Madrid, Spain
Athens, Greece
Nicosia, Cyprus
London, UK
Wash DC, USA
Programs
and
Services
PROGRAM CATEGORIES
Reintegration
Repatriation Assistance
Loan and Other Credit Assistance
Workers Assistance and Onsite Services
Social Benefits
Reintegration Program
REINTEGRATION PROGRAM…cont’d
On-Site Reintegration Preparedness
Program
Free trainings on values formation, financial
management, entrepreneurial development
training, and skills training.
*Reintegration is a way of mainstreaming returning OFWS into
the Philippine society.
REINTEGRATION PROGRAM…cont’d
2-Billion Pesos Reintegration Fund for
Enterprise Development
• Loan facility for active/non-active members
• Loan guarantee
• Implemented by Land Bank of the Philippines
• Php300,000.00 to Php 2 million
• 7.5% interest/annum, 5-7 years to pay
REINTEGRATION PROGRAM…cont’d
“Balik-Pinas, Balik-Hanapbuhay”
• package of livelihood assistance intended to
provide immediate relief to returning member-
OFWs:
- P20,000 cash grant
- entrepreneurship devt training
- other services that will enable
beneficiaries to manage a livelihood
undertaking
Repatriation Program
Repatriation of distressed OFWs or human
remains in normal or emergency situations.
Post-Repatriation Services - Airport
assistance, temporary shelter at the OWWA
Halfway Home, psycho-social counseling,
stress debriefing, briefing on reintegration
services and provision of transport services or
fares for onward travel to their provinces.
LOAN AND CREDIT
ASSISTANCE
Workers Assistance and
Onsite Services
Workers Assistance and Onsite Services… cont’d
On-Site Welfare Case Management
Tracing of OFWs’ whereabouts; psycho-
social counseling for distressed workers;
conciliation and mediation with the
employers; immigration and airport
assistance for the repatriation of OFWs;
hospital/prison/work camp visitations; legal
assistance;
Workers Assistance and Onsite Services… cont’d
In- Country Welfare Case
Management
• Requests by families or NOKs
(next-of-kin) for assistance; stress
debriefing/ counseling, medical
referrals.
Workers Assistance and Onsite Services… cont’d
Welfare Assistance Program (WAP)
• A cash relief assistance to OWWA
members, active or non-active, and
their families, who are suffering due
to calamity, death or disability
resulting from crimes or accidents,
medical condition, and
displacement.
Workers Assistance and Onsite Services… cont’d
Cash Relief (CARE) Program for OFW-
Amnesty Availees from KSA
• A one-time cash relief assistance of
P5,000 for availees of the 90-day
Amnesty Program of KSA.
• OWWA shall advance the release of P5K
to undocumented OFWs, and bill
OUMWA for payment
SOCIAL BENEFITS
Social benefits … cont’d
Disability and Dismemberment
Benefit
• Php50,000 to Php100,000 for
accident-related injuries
sustained during the
membership validity
Social benefits … cont’d
Death Benefit
• Php100,000 if death is due to natural
cause;
• Php200,000 if death is due to accident;
• Php20,000 burial/funeral expenses
Social benefits … cont’d
Education and Livelihood Assistance Program
(ELAP) –Legal dependents of deceased OFWs
receive financial assistance of Php5,000/SY
for elementary; Php8,000/SY for high school;
Php10,000/SY for college; and livelihood
assistance of Php15,000 for the surviving
spouse.
Social benefits … cont’d
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE (MEDplus)
- - Partnership with Philhealth
- - Supplemental medical relief for active OWWA
and Philhealth members afflicted with dreaded
diseases through the payment of medical cost
equivalent to the Philhealth case rate benefits but
not to exceed P50,000
Social benefits … cont’d
Education for Development
Scholarship Program (EDSP) – A
competitive scholarship program for
dependents of OFWs with financial
assistance of Php60,000/SY; 4-to-5-year
baccalaureate course
Social benefits … cont’d
OFW-Dependents Scholarship
Program (ODSP) – Php20,000
financial assistance/SY;
baccalaureate or associate
degree; OFW must have a salary of
not more than $400/mo; state
college or university
Social benefits … cont’d
Skills-for-Employment
Scholarship Program (SESP) –
Scholarship for short-term training
program; financial assistance of
Php14,500/course; vocational or
technical course in any school
accredited by TESDA.
Social benefits … cont’d
Information Technology Program –
An Information and communication
technology (ICT) skills training; aims to
bridge the communication gap
between the OFW and his/her family
through the use of social
media/internet.
Social benefits … cont’d
Scholarship Program for Seafarers
Seafarers‘ Upgrading Program
(SUP)
Short-term training program for
Filipino seafarers; Php7,500
training assistance
Social benefits … cont’d
Country-Specific Pre-Departure Orientation
Seminar (PDOS) – An orientation for
ready-to-leave OFWs; curriculum of
several modules on culture orientation;
employment contract; values orientation;
code of discipline; health and safety;
travel tips; financial management, and
government programs and services
Comprehensive Pre-Departure Education
Program (CPDEP) – A culture and
language training and orientation and
stress management for HSWs.
ONSITE OPERATIONS
59
BASIC STRUCTURE:
PE/PCG
ATN POLO SSO ETC.
OWWA
BASIC PRINCIPLE: OCTA
One of the most
critical tasks of the
Post is Case
Management
What
is a
“case”
?
Refers to:
- worker’s complaint/problem/concern
that is:
- handled/managed by the Post
for:
- assistance/resolution/ intervention
guided by
- existing Philippine laws and host
country regulations
It is taken in as “request for assistance” (RFA)
CASE MANAGEMENT ONSITE
IS GUIDED BY THE JOINT
MANUAL OF OPERATIONS
(JMO)
AS WELL AS BY DIRECTIVES
ON SINGLE ENTRY
APPROACH (SENA)
AND RECENTLY BY THE 72-
HOUR DIRECTIVE OF THE
PRESIDENT CONTAINED IN
E.O. 06 (8888 CITIZEN’S
COMPLAINT HOTLINE)
SOME PRACTICAL REMINDERS
THAT HELP US IN CASE
MANAGEMENT
While we are not expected to
resolve the case in favor of the
worker all the time, we are
expected to exhaust all means
to assist him/her in the
resolution of the case.
SOME PRACTICAL REMINDERS THAT
HELP US IN CASE MANAGEMENT
Follow the JMO as
much as possible, and
as far as practicable.
SOME PRACTICAL REMINDERS THAT
HELP US IN CASE MANAGEMENT
But we should know
when “judgment
calls” are necessary.
SOME PRACTICAL REMINDERS THAT
HELP US IN CASE MANAGEMENT
Fully document the
case being handling:
(i.e. Request for Assistance
Form, Settlement Agreement ,
Acknowledgement)
SOME PRACTICAL REMINDERS THAT
HELP US IN CASE MANAGEMENT
The JSL principle works
to our advantage in
resolving cases.
SOME PRACTICAL REMINDERS THAT
HELP US IN CASE MANAGEMENT
Tension is inherent in case management.
Interested parties will want to resolve the
case at a pace faster than we possibly
can under certain circumstances.
Remain cool. Remember, we are not
alone in this predicament. Other
POLO/ATN officers are on the same
boat.
Multiplying ourself and building network
are strategic musts. Know that our two
eyes, two ears, two hands, two legs and
single brain cannot adequately handle all
requests at all times even with our
big heart and kind soul
SOME PRACTICAL REMINDERS THAT
HELP US IN CASE MANAGEMENT
But we have to rest too.
SOME PRACTICAL REMINDERS THAT
HELP US IN CASE MANAGEMENT
We can be Derek Redmond’s father to
OFWs, always ready to assist them
through their journey.
To God be the Glory!
End of Presentation
Salamat po.
