Bison Welfare

03/09/2023

03 September 2023

3rd COUNTRY RECRUITMENT STILL PREVALENT – BI

PASAY, Philippines — Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco lamented that thirrd country recruitment for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) is still prevalent.

According to Tansingco, third country recruitment means legitimate OFWs are recruited to be transported to another country, normally after their visas expire.

The recruitment would mean that the OFW would not return to the Philippines upon expiry of his contract, and would instead directly transfer to a third country.

Tansingco shared the dangers to OFWs of third country recruitment, saying that the Philippine government would not have records of them being transferred to a different country.

He shared the case of five deported passengers from Moscow, Russia who arrived last September 1 on board an Oman Air flight. The deportees, composed of four females and one male, all in their 30s and 40s, shared the difficulties they encountered in Russia.

The male deportee left as a tourist to visit his OFW wife in Russia, but overstayed in the country due to the pandemic. The four others left as OFWs with valid overseas employment certificates.

Three of the female victims were OFWs in Hong Kong, and was recruited to transfer to Russia upon expiry of their contracts. The other female victim worked as a nanny in Russia, but remained despite the expiry of her contract.

“While third party recruitment is beyond the scope of the BI, we deem it necessary to share to the public stories we encounter at the airport, as we are the first to hear about this back in the Philippines,” said Tansingco. “OFWs should protect themselves from exploitation by ensuring proper documentation when they work abroad,” he added.

01/08/2023

READ: Starting 29 July 2023, the issuance of all forms of Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) for rehires or Balik-Manggagawa (BM) shall be free of charge and will not require issuance of an Official Receipt.

Please be guided accordingly.

27/01/2023

08/10/2022

04 Oktubre 2022 – WEBINAR UKOL SA SOCIAL SECURITY AT INSURANCE SA PILIPINAS AT TÜRKİYE

Halina at matuto sa mga eksperto sa social security at insurance sa Pilipinas at Türkiye!

Inaanyayahan ng Konsulado Heneral ng Pilipinas sa Istanbul ang lahat ng mga kababayan sa Türkiye na makilahok sa isang Zoom Webinar sa ika-16 October 2022 mula 1pm hanggang 3pm (oras sa Türkiye), upang alamin ang mga serbisyo ng Social Security System at Overseas Workers Welfare Administration ng Pilipinas, kasama ang Istanbul Office ng Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu or SGK.

Tatalakayin ng ating mga tagapagsalita ang mga insurance at social security benefits sa panahon ng pagkakasakit, aksidente, occupational disease o pagbubuntis habang nagtatrabaho. Pag-uusapan din ang mga long-term benefits tulad ng retirement, disability at death/survivorship.

Upang makilahok, maglog-in sa sumusunod na Zoom link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81743108958?pwd=aTRZVG8raDdpdVg0K2VtbEZ5eDExZz09

Meeting ID: 817 4310 8958
Passcode: 114108

Kita kita po tayo!

- End.

18/09/2022

18/09/2022

18/09/2022

15/08/2022

READ: Rehired and direct hire OFWs need not pay compulsory insurance – Ople

Following instructions from Migrant Workers Secretary Susan “Toots” V. Ople, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has suspended the implementation of the Expanded Compulsory Insurance Coverage for land-based “rehires” and “direct hires” mandated in a department order issued in October 2021.

In ordering the suspension, the POEA cited in an advisory dated 05 August 2022, the improving global health situation and high vaccination rates among overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

The Expanded Compulsory Insurance Coverage for returning OFWs and direct hires was the subject of Department Order No. 228, Series of 2021 issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Undersecretary Bernard Olalia, concurrently the Officer-in-Charge of the POEA, said that the department order was a “protective insurance mechanism against OFWs contracting COVID-19.”

“The suspension will save our ‘balik-manggagawa’ workers and those directly hired by foreign employers at least $35 (P1,700.00) worth of mandatory insurance coverage, while reducing the number of requirements imposed by government. Malaking ginhawa ito para sa ating OFWs,” Ople said.

Ople said that she has received feedback from OFWs who were confused if they should continue to pay for the expanded compulsory insurance even when the country remains under Alert Level 1 and other countries have reported lower COVID-19 infections and have begun to loosen travel restrictions.

The DMW Secretary, however, clarified that the mandatory insurance coverage for newly hired OFWs remains valid and in place because this was set by law.

“Para malinaw, may dalawang uri ng compulsory insurance. Yung para sa mga bagong OFW na bunga ng naipasang batas, at itong expanded compulsory insurance para sa mga balik-manggagawa at direct hires na nakasaad sa isang lumang department order ng DOLE. Yung itinatakda ng batas ay ating patuloy na ipatutupad dahil ito naman ay sagot ng mga foreign employers,” Ople said.

“Ngunit yung expanded na version na itinatakda ng Department Order 228 para sa mga balik-manggagawa at direct hires ay isasantabi muna natin dahil sa kakulangan ng konsultasyon sa mga stakeholders,” Ople explained.

Among other provisions, the Department Order requires employers or the workers themselves to pay for the insurance coverage subject to full refund on the first day of arrival at the worksite or country of destination.

Ople noted that the benefits of such an insurance scheme for rehired and directly hired overseas workers at the height of the COVID-19 epidemic have yet to be established.

“The order to suspend will be followed by a series of formal consultations with all stakeholders most especially our OFWs in different parts of the world via online meetings since they were meant to be the primary beneficiaries of DO No. 228,” Ople said.

She said the consultations will also enable the DMW to report on the progress of other programs and services, including ongoing efforts to cut red tape and carry out the digitalization of the overseas employment certificate (OEC).

“We will continue to reach out to our stakeholders so that our goal to make the DMW the home and sanctuary of every OFW is attainable,” Ople said. # # #

15/08/2022

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan “Toots” V. Ople administers the oath of office to newly appointed senior officials of the department. From left: Atty. Hans Leo J. Cacdac, Undersecretary for Welfare and Foreign Employment; Atty. Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones, Undersecretary for Finance and Internal Affairs; Atty. Patricia Yvonne M. Caunan, Undersecretary for Policy and International Cooperation; Atty. Bernard P. Olalia, Undersecretary for Licensing and Adjudication Services; and Secretary Susan V. Ople.

15/08/2022

Senior officials of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) are sworn into office by Secretary Susan “Toots” V. Ople. From left: Asst. Sec. Venecio Legaspi, Reintegration Services; Asst. Sec. Jerome A. Alcantara, Land-based Services and concurrent Chief of Staff; Asst. Sec. Levinson C. Alcantara, Pre-employment Services; Asst. Sec. Francis Ron C. de Guzman, Licensing and Adjudication Services; Asst. Sec. Atty. Jerome T. Pampolina, Sea-based Services; Asst. Sec. Violeta D. Illescas, Internal Management and Administration; Atty. Mary Melanie H. Quino, Deputy Administrator, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA); and Secretary Susan V. Ople. Not in photo but was sworn in via virtual platform was OWWA Administrator Arnell A. Ignacio.