One of the fees that OFWs are urged to pay every two years is their membership in the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) which amounts to AED92. With a validity of two years, the membership only costs AED 3.83 per month, equivalent to the price of a small chicken shawarma at your nearest cafeteria – but what exactly does it provide for the common OFW?
OWWA Deputy Administrator Arnell Ignacio, in his recent visit to the UAE, said that the agency has a comprehensive list of benefits for OFWs and their dependents as well.
“Importante ito na we get in touch nang ganitong paraan face to face kasama ng ating mga OFW kasi kababayan natin yan. Para ngayon naka focus ka sa OWWA at malaman kung ano yung mga benepisyo na makukuha ninyo sa OWWA, para maging maliwanag na maliwanag sa iyo. Like we have scholarships, we have loan programs,” said Ignacio on the sidelines of their week-long consultation with the OFW community in the UAE.
Ignacio led a delegation from OWWA to assess how the agency could further assist OFWs in the UAE with their concerns, particularly on reintegration programs to help OFWs who are planning to launch their businesses or are planning to retool and/or reskill themselves to find suitable employment back home.
“Ang pakay natin, maparamdam sa ating mga OFWs na hindi kami absent, nandito kami sa buhay ninyo para kung saka-sakali na magkaroon na ng mabigat-bigat na problema o kalituhan o anu pa man – si OWWA, nandyan. Of course, within the scope ng trabaho ng OWWA,” said Ignacio.
Reintegration is key
The week-long engagement, held in Abu Dhabi on June 2 and 4 and in Dubai on June 6 and 7 also witnessed a reintegration workshop led by Dir. Estrella ‘Mai’ Añonuevo, OWWA Board of Trustees-Women Sector, discussed enterprise developments and livelihood programs for OFWs in a talk led by Dir. Jocelyn Hipal of OWWA’s Policy and Program Office. The program also tackled key updates on OWWA’s Tulong Puso program led by Dir. Dindi Tan of the National Reintegration Center for OFWs. In attendance as well were OWWA Board of Trustees Atty. Antonio Partoza Jr. representing the Landbased Recruitment Sector, and Capt. Felixberto Rebustes for the Seabased OFW Sector.
Dir. Hapal hopes that more OFWs will be enticed to plan their future as OFWs as early as they can so that they could reintegrate with ease once they decided to go home for good.
“Kung ikaw ay nandito na sa UAE, paghahandaan mo way ahead ang inyong paguwi. The best kung naiisip mo na yan at may plano ka na habang kumikita ka pa rito at naitatayo na ng iyong pamilya o kung sino mang business partner mo sa Pilipinas (ang negosyo). Habang nandirito ka, ni-re-ready mo na ang sarili mo,” said Hapal.
Dir. Tan notes the impact that the Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Pag-unlad ng Samahang OFWs (Tulong – PUSO) program had which helped OFWs particularly those living in far flung areas to grow and prosper. The said program provides a monetary grant of up to Php 1M to groups of OFWs planning to launch a business venture.
“The Board (of Trustees at OWWA), they passed this (Tulong Puso) because they saw na may promise sa proyektong ito. And hindi naman nabigo base sa nakita ko – siguro nobenta porsyento talaga makikita mo na ito ay talagang nakatulong sa pagbabago – they transformed the lives of our OFWs in the rural countryside at talagang nabago ang kanilang buhay. Yung impact talaga ay meron,” said Tan.
Labor Attache Atty. Manuel Dimaano of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Abu Dhabi highlighted that the event helps to relay OFWs’ immediate concerns through community leaders in attendance, to OWWA’s Board of Trustees who can then decide on matters as to how they can serve OFWs better – especially in the run-up as an attached agency of the newly-created Department of Migrant Workers.
“This event bridged OFWs with OWWA, especially on questions that require comprehensive decision making by our OWWA Board of Trustees because they are the policymakers. By engaging in this discussion, our community leaders here in Abu Dhabi can listen directly from our OWWA representatives about the policies and benefits offered by the agency that they can disseminate to other OFWs as force multipliers,” said Atty. Dimaano.
For his part, Welfare Officer Melvin Caseda of the POLO-OWWA in Dubai said that many of OWWA’s programs were given a spotlight during the pandemic, helping hundreds of thousands of OFWs especially those whose livelihood and employment had been adversely affected.
“Very important, OWWA kase ang kaagapay nila at sandalan sa mga welfare needs nila. Noong dumating ang pandemya, kaagad tumugon ang OWWA sa repatriation needs ng ating mga kababayan, mula sa mga chartered flight at sweeper flights, hotel accommodations, medical assistance, livelihood and financial assistance hanggang local transportation service pabalik sa kanilang mga probinsya. Ito ang patunay na ang OWWA ay tunay nagmamalasakit sa mga OFWs dito Dubai at sa ibang pa mang sulok ng mundo. Indeed, OWWA Cares,” said Caseda.
A membership fee of AED92 every two years entitles bonafide OFWs to a slew of benefits which include:
Scholarships:
Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP): Financial assistance of Php 60,000 per academic year granted to qualified dependents of active OWWA members who intend to pursue 4-5 year baccalaureate course in any preferred colleges/universities
OFW Dependent Scholarship Program: Financial assistance of Php 20,000 per school year to qualified dependents of OFWs who receive a monthly salary of not more than US $600.00, and who shall enroll, are currently enrolled, or have been enrolled in any four-year or five-year baccalaureate course or associate course in any college or university.
Education and Livelihood Assistance Program for the Dependents of Deceased OFW Members (ELAP): Livelihood assistance of Php 15,000 and/or Education assistance from Php 5,000 to Php 10,000 for school-age qualified dependents of deceased OFWs.
Full requirements are available at: https://owwa.gov.ph/?page_id=3622
Loan programs:
Balik Pinas! Balik Hanapbuhay! Program: A package of livelihood support/assistance intended to provide immediate relief to returning member-OFWs (distressed/displaced) amounting to a maximum of Php 20,000 as start up or additional capital for the livelihood project. More details at: https://owwa.gov.ph/?page_id=3706
Overseas Filipino Workers – Enterprise Development and Loan Program (OFW-EDLP): An enterprise development intervention and loan facility of OWWA, in partnership with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), with business loads amounting to Php 100,000 up to a maximum of Php 2M for individual borrowers and up to a maximum of Php 5M for group borrowers. More details at: https://owwa.gov.ph/?page_id=3728
Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Pag-unlad ng Samahang OFWs (Tulong – PUSO): One-time livelihood financial grant that supports the proposed business plan for both start-up and expansion of the OFW Groups, duly recognized by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). More details at: https://owwa.gov.ph/?page_id=4253
It shall support the following categories:
Social benefits*:
Disability and Dismemberment Benefit: up to a maximum of Php 100,000 for injuries sustained due to accident while working abroad. More details at: https://owwa.gov.ph/?page_id=4066
Death Benefits: Php 100,000 for natural cause; Php 200,000 for accidental cause and;
Burial Benefit: Php 20,000 for funeral expenses. More details at: https://owwa.gov.ph/?page_id=3288
* Benefits provided that OFW’s membership is valid at the time of accident or death
