OFWs work in a foreign land with their high hopes of having a good source of income and more importantly, of being able to provide a more comfortable life to their families and loved-ones in the Philippines.
While it is the responsibility of every OFW to perform their job diligently in other countries to succeed, the POEA licensed recruitment agencies should also do their part to ensure the safety and welfare of all deployed land-based overseas workers.
The recruitment agencies are tasked to monitor the welfare and the condition of OFWs as they work abroad and see to it that they comply with POEA’s requirement of regularly submitting a Quarterly Report or as often as the need arises like in the case of unusual incident involving the OFWs within 5 working days.
It is part of the duties of the agencies as well to have a welfare counselor or an office accessible to overseas workers of at least 100 household workers.
In lieu thereof, the POEA Memorandum Circular No. 3, Series of 2016 has been addressed to all its land-based licensed agencies as stated below:
Subject: The responsibility to Monitor and Report to POEA Significant Incidents Concerning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)
Pursuant to Rule I, Part VIII on Assistance to Overseas Filipino Workers of the Revised POEA Rules and Regulations Governing the Recruitment and Employment of Land-based Filipino Workers of 2016, the following responsibilities of POEA land-based agencies are hereby reiterated:
- Monitor status and conditions of deployed OFWs and submit corresponding quarterly reports;
- Submit appropriate reports, within five (5) working days from the occurrence of OFW incidents such as:
- Death
- Injury
- Detention
- Runaway
- Missing OFWs
- Desertion
III. Engage the services of a welfare/office counselor per job site, where at least a hundred (100) household service workers (HSWs) have been deployed; and
- Bring to POEA’s attention violations committed by the foreign employer/principal.
With all the obligations of the agencies having been said, OFWs are optimistic about each agency’s strict compliance thereof, so that they may feel secured and safe as they leave their families and try their luck for a greener pasture in a foreign land.
