The Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) is an attached agency of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and a membership institution. It is an OFW-centric agency dedicated to protect the well-being of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families by offering a low-cost insurance program in exchange for a two-year membership amounting to only US$25.00 or its equivalent foreign exchange rate.
In exchange for the US$25.00 OWWA membership contribution fee, OFWs and their families and eligible beneficiaries are entitled to all programs, projects, and services that they can avail. In this guide, we rounded up a complete list of all OWWA benefits, programs, and services made available to all active OWWA member OFWs and their families.
Overview
All OWWA programs and services are made available through the various stages of their overseas employment. From pre-employment to departure, and until their eventual return and reintegration into the society, OFWs and their families can expect the support and protection of the premiere body in-charge of their welfare, OWWA.
It’s important that as an OWWA member, you are aware of these programs, services and benefits that you can avail. So you can take advantage of them whenever applicable, especially during times of crisis.
Pre-Employment
As the main agency in-charge of protecting OFWs, OWWA starts its duty to its beneficiaries and members well before they even leave the country. Some of their programs include:
Pre-departure Education Program
Before leaving the Philippines, the government, through OWWA, offered a government-to-citizen (G2C) educational training and skill-upgrade programs to OFWs and would-be OFWs through the Pre-departure Education Program. This initiative is meant to help OFWs and would-be OFWs get relevant pre-departure orientations and seminars to help OFWs adapt to the new work environment and cope with the new culture in their host country.
Country-Specific Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS)
PDOS is a mandatory one-day comprehensive orientation for OFWs hosted by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO). It gives OFWs relevant information on employment contracts, country profiles, health and safety, financial literacy, and travel tips to help them prepare for their departure.
Comprehensive Pre-Departure Education Program (CPDEP) for Household Service Workers (HSWs)
CPDEP is the live-out counterpart of PDOS exclusively designed for Household Service Workers (HSWs) and Domestic Workers (DWs). It is conducted for two (2) to six (6) days and focuses on language training, culture familiarization, and stress management to prepare them for potential cultural barriers that they may encounter while working overseas.
On-Site Employment Services
OWWA’s services are also available in various countries via the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO-OWWA), a dedicated office where OFWs can inquire about OWWA programs while working abroad.
Post-arrival Orientation Seminar (PAOS)
is an orientation-seminar typically done upon the OFWs’ arrival at the host country. It is meant to give information on the rights and the things that the OFWs need to observe so their employment and their stay at the host country will be safe and worthwhile. PAOS usually covers topics including consular services, Assistance to Nationals (ATN), POLO services, Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), and welfare and community services, among others.
On-site Programs and Services
Welfare Assistance Program (WAP)
The OWWA Welfare Assistance Program (WAP) is a program extended to active or inactive OWWA members and their qualified dependents who are not yet eligible for regular OWWA programs as a form of support in cases of calamity, death, disability, sickness, accidental or crime-induced injury, and displacement due to economic, political, health crises, and bankruptcy.
Community Outreach Program
One of OWWA’s main thrusts is to build good relationships with and among overseas Filipino Communities. With this goal in mind, many POLO-OWWA offices regularly host events that foster assistance to projects and programs initiated by various Filipino organizations. Some of the programs they support include socio-cultural activities and institutional events like Migrant Workers’ Day, Labor Day, and Independence Day celebrations.
Other OWWA Services
OWWA also offers assistance to OFWs in various capacities, offering services related to negotiation with employers and recruitment agencies, endorsement to competent Japanese authority or government office and to non-governmental organizations (NGOs), counseling; jobsite and accommodation inspection, jail and hospital visitation and support on court hearing appearances.
Returning OFWs
OWWA services for OFWs don’t end in deployment. Their assistance continues well into the time when the OFWs settle down in the host country and up until they return back home to the Philippines. Some of the programs and services offered by OWWA include:
Repatriation Assistance Program
OWWA offers repatriation assistance for distressed and mentally/physically ill OFWs, and those who have died and whose remains needed to be sent back home to the Philippines. Their offices can also help in cases when families need support regarding finding information on an OFWs whereabouts or in dealing with personal/relationship problems.
Reintegration Preparedness Program
In addition to the help and support that OWWA gives in sending home distressed OFWs, OWWA also offers help in the form of skills training and development programs and activities to help them reintegrate back into the society and offer them the option to stay home with their families without compromising their livelihood. Some of the programs offered by OWWA under the Reintegration Preparedness Program include skills and livelihood training, livelihood and agri-business seminars, financial literacy seminars, and entrepreneurial development training.
Balik Pinas! Balik Hanapbuhay! Program
The Balik Pinas! Balik Hanapbuhay! Program (BPBH) is an initiative meant to support distressed, displaced, or repatriated active and inactive OWWA member OFWs. The program aims to help them reintegrate into the economic and livelihood spectrum of the society with the support of a livelihood program in the form of a cash aid after the OFW has been repatriated for reasons including political chaos, war, economic problems, illegal recruiters, human traffickers, maltreatment, or verbal/sexual abuses.
Balik Pinay! Balik Hanapbuhay! Program
Under the Balik Pinay! Balik Hanapbuhay! Program, Filipina household service workers are provided with mandatory livelihood skills and entrepreneurial training along with a ready-to-go self-employment business enterprise start-up kit to help remove their socio-economic vulnerability and improve their socio-economic well-being as they reintegrate into the society with a small planned business enterprise.
Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Pag-unlad ng Samahang OFWs (Tulong – PUSO)
The Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Pag-unlad ng Samahang OFWs (Tulong PUSO) is a DOLE-OWWA project that offers a one-time livelihood financial grant to support proposed business plans and livelihood endeavors of small, medium, and large OFW groups. The loan is afforded to Oduly registered with DOLE, CDA, and SEC so they can start or expand viable, sustainable, and immediate income-generation projects of OFW Group startups. as long as they are duly registered with DOLE, CDA, and SEC who satisfy the following qualifications:
Overseas Filipino Workers – Enterprise Development and Loan Program (OFW-EDLP)
The Overseas Filipino Workers – Enterprise Development and Loan Program (OFW-EDLP), formerly known as the OFW-Reintegration Program (ORP), is an enterprise development intervention and loan facility managed by OWWA, in partnership with the Landbank of the Philippines (LBP) and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). The program was intended to support enterprise development among OFWs and their families via the following eligible projects:
- Franchising business
- Contract tie-up with the top 1000 corporations
- Agricultural and non-agricultural production or manufacturing with identified market links and raw material sources;
- Construction or rental business;
- Service and trading business;
- Transportation service; or
- Any new or existing project that promises viability generates a sufficient net cash flow cover for the projected amortization of the loan, resulting in a debt service ratio of at least 1.
OWWA Members, active or non-active, who have completed the Enhanced Entrepreneurial Development Training (EEDT) are eligible for loan purposes under the OFW-EDLP. With grants from this program, OFWs can get additional funds to supplement their working capital or help them acquire fixed assets. Under the program, it can be availed by the following OFW types:
Post-Employment Services
Post-employment services are also offered by OWWA to overseas Filipino workers who decide to return and stay in the country for good, whether by their own choice or as demanded by the situation.
In-Country Reintegration Services
Among the many OWWA post-employment projects is the in-country reintegration services, a set of services offered to OFWs who have been displaced or laid off and sent home due to unforeseeable reasons before they even finish their contracts. Such services include psycho-social services like counseling, OFW family circle support, skills training and enhancement, NRCO services, and some other OWWA programs for OFWs and their families.
Social Benefits
OWWA members are also afforded benefits that support their financial and social needs arising from various circumstances including calamities, sickness, bereavement, family, education, or housing problems.
Disability and Dismemberment
Under this program, active OWWA members can receive or avail a specific amount as cash benefit if they sustain accident-related injuries, disabilities, or dismemberment while working abroad.
Supplementary Medical Assistance (MEDplus)
OWWA’s supplementary medical assistance program (MEDplus) is an OWWA benefit program meant to provide supplemental medical assistance and relief in the form of subsidized hospital bills to OFWs hospitalized for dreaded diseases.
Death and Burial
The OWWA Death and Burial program is much like an insurance program where beneficiaries of deceased OWWA member OFWs can get cash aid in cases when the OFW dies of either natural or accidental causes. The program also offers cash aid to help the OFW’s surviving family with the burial expenses.
Welfare Assistance Program (WAP)
The OWWA Welfare Assistance Program (WAP) is a cash relief program extended to both active and inactive OWWA members and their qualified dependents, who are not yet eligible for any of the regular OWWA programs and services. Under the WAP, both OFWs or their eligible beneficiaries can get calamity, bereavement, disability, and medical assistance. They are also offered financial support in the event when the OWWA member OFW gets displaced or laid-off due to economic, political, health crises, bankruptcy, and other similar conditions.
Education Scholarship and Training Benefits
OWWA also prides itself for seeing the value of training and education, both for the working OWWA members and their eligible dependents. Having said that, they have put in place some programs and services that are meant to assist, prepare, support, and train the OWWA members and their qualified dependents in their bid to improve their skills or complete their basic formal education.
Scholarship for Dependents
One of the OWWA programs designed to support their member OFWs in their bid to improve the lives of their children is the Scholarship for Dependents Program. Under this program, OWWA offers numerous scholarship and financial assistance programs that will make it easier for the OFWs to support the education and improve the future of their dependents.
Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP)
The Education for Development Scholarship (EDSP) is yet another OWWA Scholarship program geared to support the college or university studies of qualified OFW dependents through competitive OWWA grants and exclusive scholarship programs. The EDSP scholarship is available to all qualified OWWA member dependents regardless of school or course preference, so long as the terms and conditions of the scholarship are met for the duration of the program.
OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP)
The OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) is also another scholarship program offered to help the dependents of active OWWA member OFWs complete their four- or five-year tertiary education in their preferred state university or college (SUC) for a better, brighter work option in the future.
Education and Livelihood Assistance Program for the Dependents of Deceased OFW Members (ELAP)
The OWWA Education and Livelihood Assistance Program (ELAP) is a two way program meant for the dependents of a deceased OFW. One part of the program offers an academic scholarship assistance in the form of a cash aid meant to support the academic expenses of surviving school-age dependents of the deceased OFW. The other part of the program offers a livelihood grant/economic assistance grant to the surviving spouse or parent of the deceased OFW.
Short-Term Training Programs for OFWs & Dependents
OWWA offers various kinds of short-term training programs to OFWs and their qualified dependents. These programs are meant to support skill upgrades, both for the OFWs and their beneficiaries.
Skills for Employment Scholarship Program (SESP)
The OWWA Skills-for-Employment Scholarship Program (SESP) is one of the many scholarship programs offered by OWWA under their short-term training programs for OFWs with the goal of helping OFWs and their dependents complete a technical or vocational course in any school accredited by TESDA, MARINA, and other government-accredited training institutions.
Information Technology (IT) Training Program
The Information Technology (IT) Training Program is one of OWWA’s free short-term training programs specifically designed for active and inactive OWWA member OFWs and their qualified dependents who wish to enhance their Information Technology (IT) skills. Through this program, OWWA originally hoped to help the OFWs and their families stay connected until it evolved into a training program meant to teach them basic computer literacy programs and IT applications and improve their employability and broaden their career opportunities.
Seafarers Upgrading Program (SUP)
The OWWA Seafarers Upgrading Program (SUP) is a special scholarship program exclusively designed for active, returning, or first-time Filipino seafarers who are also active OWWA members. It was designed to help seafarers improve their skills and proficiency in the various job-related technicalities and specialties consistent with the current international maritime standards as defined by the Maritime Training Council. By enrolling in a training course accredited by Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) or Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), seafarer-beneficiaries can improve their skills enough to be competitive and at par with the rest of the world in meeting the International Maritime Organizations competency standards, regardless if they’ve never been to sea or they’ve only been away for some time.
e-Services
- OFW Assistance Information System (OASIS)
- OFW e-CARD Application
- OWWA Rebate Portal
- OFW e-CARD Tracker
- OWWA Mobile App
Special Projects
- DOLE-OWWA AKAP for OFWs (DOLE-AKAP)
- Tertiary Education Subsidy for Dependents of Repatriated OFWs (Tabang OFW)
- OWWA Rebate Program
- Educational Assistance by Scholarship in Emergencies (Project EASE)
- Tuloy-Aral Project (TAP)
OWWA-NLDC LDPO Project
The OWWA has an existing tie-up with the National Livelihood Development Corporation (NLDC) to come up with implement the Livelihood Development Program for OFWs (LDPO) to provide OFW families access to capital for their entrepreneurial activities.
24/7 OWWA Operations Center Hotline
The OWWA maintains a 24/7 Operations Center designed to quickly respond to OFW and public inquiries on OWWA programs and services. Manned by OWWA personnel who work in shifts, the Operations Center provides information and advice as well as facilitative services to OFWs in distress overseas; follow-up requests for assistance; global developments on worker migration; and coordination with OWWA regional welfare offices on OFW concerns.
The 24/7 Operations Center is located at: OWWA Building, 7th corner F.B. Harrison Sts., Pasay City Metro Manila, Philippines and can be contacted through the following:
OWWA Hotline: 1348
Landline: (+632)833-OWWA or (+632)833-6992
GLOBE HOTLINE 2917 (Press “3” for OWWA)
Mobile/SMS text messaging: (0917)TXT-OWWA or (0917)898-6992
Facsimile: +63-2-8040638
Email: opcenter@owwa.gov.ph/ owwa_opcenter@yahoo.com
Website: https://owwa.gov.ph