The Philippines Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has recently suspended the Expanded Compulsory Insurance Coverage, one of the requirements to acquire an OEC or exit certificate.
Under the POEA Circular contravened Republic Act No 10022, a Php8,000 premium has to be paid by home-bound OFWs who need an OEC to return to their work site. Proof of insurance coverage had to come from any government-accredited insurance company.
The problem eventually led to vacationing OFWs being unable to return to their job sites without proof of insurance. OECs were issued only to migrants who paid for insurance before POEA offices issued them.
However, according to the Department Order (DO) recently released by POEA, “The interim rule shall be implemented only during the period of the current public health emergency being faced by all countries due to the raging COVID-19 pandemic and the threats of other emerging infectious diseases as well as the period of full completion and implementation of the national government’s vaccination program for all Filipino citizens.”
In line with this, the expanded insurance coverage will be temporarily suspended pending the consultations and dialogue among the recruitment industry stakeholders.
Image via POEA
