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.