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BI, OWWA to make travel procedures of departing OFWs easier

The Bureau of Immigration has received technological support from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to ease and expedite the travel procedures of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who will leave the Philippines.

Port Operations Division Chief Grifton Medina said he personally received six tablets and six bar code readers from OWWA Deputy Administrator Josefino Torres, which will be used by airport staff to check the authenticity and validity of OWWA E-cards (OEC) of OFWs who will be leaving the country, reported Manila Bulletin.

“This system prevents that as it automatically checks the validity of the E-card, which contains their OEC information. With the acquisition of these modern gadgets, the validity and genuineness of an E-Card can easily be checked in a matter of seconds,” Medina was quoted as saying.

The OEC which are available for Balik-Manggagawa OFWs serves as their exit clearance from the Philippines. The cards, which are also recognized as a permanent government-issued ID, can be used by OWWA members to avail OWWA services.

The said gadgets will also help protect OFWs from fraudsters as it will also be able to screen their presented documents.

Departing OFWs will have more time and feel less stressed as the tablets and bar code readers “will be able to detect immediately if an OEC is not valid, even before they reach the immigration counter,” according to Medina.

Staff Report

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