THERE will no longer be additional fees to be collected from migrant Filipino workers when they request for their Overseas Employment Certification (OEC) using the new mobile app of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
In a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday, DMW Undersecretary Hans Cacdac said the agency has requested the Department of Finance (DOF) to allow them to make the issuance of the OEC cost-free.
“Sabi ni Secretary Diokno, okay na okay po iyan para sa ating mga bagong bayani, mga OFWs, no need to pay. Libre, so go ahead po. So, mayroong pagbasbas ng DOF nitong pagkalibre ng OFW Pass,” Cacdac said.
Cacdac also discussed the features of the mobile application aimed at making the experience of OFWs easier and more efficient when it comes to securing documents prior to their departure from the Philippines.
“Ang objective natin dito ay i-document ang isang OFW para sa kaniyang paglabas ng ating mahal na bayan ay ma-process siya ng Immigration authorities; at bago pa man noon, makamit niya iyong dokumentong iyon in a lesser amount of time, in a more expeditious and effective and accurate process para he or she could spend more time with his or her family ‘no,” he said.
The DMW mobile app, which was launched on Friday, streamlines the documentation process for legitimate OFWs, replacing the traditional OEC with the QR code-based OFW pass.
The app requires basic information and uploaded photos of the passport and visa information of the applicant, which will then be cross-referenced with the DMW database. Once the information is verified, the app will generate a QR code.
Cacdac said the DMW database and the system of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) are integrated so that the OFW Pass will serve as official documentation recognized by the immigration authorities during checks at the airport.
The application is still on its pilot run. The DMW eyes about seven million OFWs who will benefit from the initiative once it goes into full implementation.
“We are still on the pilot run…so it will take a few days and maybe weeks. There will be a proper announcement ng full blast launch niya, paggamit na open na sa lahat,” he said.
Cacdac also acknowledged the online system is entirely an in-house process developed and managed by DMW’s ICT group.
He assured that a 24/7 technical support is accessible through links within the application in case there are glitches and issues when using the application.
