No more queuing at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office to acquire OECs!
Before Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) can leave the country, they are required to get OECs or exit clearance. But getting OECs isn’t that easy. You need to personally go to the POEA office and fill out a form to secure an exit clearance.
However, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has streamlined new digitalized services for securing OECs.
Under the leadership of Sec. Susan ‘Toots’ Ople, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced the digitalization of OECs which will be implemented starting Oct. 15, 2022.
In a meeting held at a Townhall in Dubai, Ople announced that OECs will become more accessible to OFWs very soon. OEC is presented by OFWs at the airport when they leave the country.
“Yung sa OEC inaayos din namin. Gagawin na natin na paperless o mobile phone ready ang OEC. By October 15, magdadownload na lang kayo ng OEC sa telepono at yun na lang ang ipapakita ninyo sa embassy at airport natin,” says Ople.
With the new OEC, it will be paperless and can be downloaded to your phone. You can simply show it at the immigration when leaving the country.
Moreover, the digital payments for OECs will go through an alpha and beta test phase at the end of September 2022.
“Magsasagawa kami ng alpha testing at beta testing sa katapusan ng Setyembre para matiyak na user friendly ang ating app, Even payments digitally na. Ngayon po ay kausap natin ang partners natin sa development para di na kailangang magpunta sa POLO offices para magbayad,” says DMW Usec Maria Anthonette C. Velasco-Allones.
The said move was in line with President Marcos’ SONA.
Why is OEC important?
This document will help the government locate you whenever there are calamities in the country where you are working or whenever your relatives in the Philippines are doubtful of your safety abroad.
Overall, OEC is a government monitoring tool. It also serves as proof of whether you have undergone the right recruitment process or not.
