CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) – The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) IV-A advised its Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) members to renew their membership to avail the agency’s programs and benefits.
Katrina Del Valle, OWWA IV-A Officer III and Social Benefits Unit Head, emphasized the importance of OWWA membership to the welfare of OFWs and their families.
“Since ang mandato po ng OWWA ay protektahan at i-promote ang welfare ng mga OFWs at ang kanilang pamilya, mahalaga po na updated ang OWWA membership ng bawat OFW. Makaka-avail po sila ng iba’t-ibang programa at serbisyo po ng OWWA,” she said last Friday on Usapang PIA, a radio program hosted by the Philippine Information Agency.
OWWA said they continue to engage and hold dialogue with OFWs nationwide, thru their respective regional and field offices to have their memberships renewed.
Membership fee is $25 USD or P1,373.00 and valid for two (2) years for each contribution, regardless of contract duration, change of employer, jobsite, or recruitment agency. OWWA membership must be renewed if proof of active employment is presented.
A member can pay the membership fee at OWWA regional offices, international offices, or through the OWWA mobile app, which they can easily access by following the instructions provided in the app.
“Pwede pong magbayad si OFW [OWWA membership fee] sa mga regional offices ng OWWA and kapag si OFW ay nasa abroad merong mga offices si OWWA sa abroad. Meron [rin] tayong mobile app, so pwede pong magbayad si OFW sa mobile app so may instruction naman po doon kung paano,” Del Valle stated.
All OWWA active members are covered by life insurance and other social benefits such as death benefits, scholarship programs for their families, medical and welfare assistance, as well as livelihood assistance program.
“Kapag ang isang OFW po ay miyembro o active ang kanilang OWWA membership, entitled po sila sa iba’t ibang programa. For social benefits, we have death benefits, kapag natural death makakatanggap po sila, yung pamilya ng OFW na naiwan ng 100,000 pesos plus 20,000 burial benefits. Kapag naman accidental death, 200,000 plus 20, 000 burial benefits. Aside from that, we also give scholarship sa panganay na anak ng OFW,” Del Valle said.
OWWA also offers social benefits which a member can claim if he/she suffers from disability or sickness while working.
According to OWWA, they offer a P7,000-P10,000 compensation to members if they were disabled due to work, while a maximum of P20,000 can be given to an OFW as a form of medical assistance if they caught illness while working.
Families of the workers may also enjoy education and training benefits as a way to help their members.
“We have baccalaureate scholarship, ito po ay ibinibigay sa anak ng OFW o kapatid kung single si OFW na magko-kolehiyo. Meron lang silang qualifying exam sa DOST, kailangan po ang application is during grade 12. Pag naging scholar po is makakatanggap po siya ng P60,000 per year.”
If an OFW receives a monthly salary of $600, his/her children are entitled to the OFW Dependents Scholarship Program (ODSP) where they can receive financial assistance until the completion of their college course.
For OFWs who experienced violence, unable to finish their contract, and others who experienced problems during employment, OWWA enjoins them to apply for the "Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay.”
“Ito po ay livelihood assistance na ibinibigay po sa mga OFW’s na nagka-problema abroad, yung mga hindi nakatapos ng contract kasi minaltrato or nagkaroon ng problema hindi pinasahod so maaari po silang mag-apply ng livelihood assistance sa OWWA IV-A, pwede po sila makakuha ng P20,000, P10,000 or P5,000 depende po sa contributions,” Del Valle cited.
Programs and benefits of OWWA IV-A’s active members can be processed in 1 to 2 weeks after the application is filed depending on the situation, she said.
The agency said they have a 24/7 response and monitoring team for a faster and convenient response to all the concerns of OFWs. (AM/PIA4A)
