THE House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs, chaired by Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, on Monday approved the substitute bill and its committee report establishing a comprehensive, integrated and sustainable reintegration program for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
The measure replaced House Bills 4978, 7180, 11026, 11130, 11132, 11136 and 11160, aiming to provide long-term support for returning OFWs, including livelihood programs, access to financial services, reintegration counseling and psycho-social assistance.
“It directly addresses what many of our OFWs worry about, what happens after their contract ends, after they come home. Reintegration is not just about giving them seminars or token programs, it’s about building a future they can look forward to,” Acidre said.
The committee also approved the committee report on House Resolution 499, seeking to investigate scams by fake international freight forwarders and their local partners, that victimize OFWs through fraudulent balikbayan box shipments.
Consequently, OFW Party-list Rep. Marissa Magsino said the Technical Working Group she headed to probe on the issue, worked to plug regulatory gaps and ensure justice for scammed OFWs.
“Napagkasunduan ng DMW (Department of Migrant Workers), BOC (Bureau of Customs) at DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) na tayo’y maglabas ng Joint Administrative Order (JAO),” Magsino said.
She said it will include provisions for simpler tax exemption processes, escrow deposits from local de-consolidators and joint liability with their foreign partners.
The TWG also plans to quickly distribute over 5,000 abandoned balikbayan boxes, file cases against those responsible for undelivered shipment and launch a campaign to inform OFWs about accredited and blacklisted freight forwarders.
BOC Prosecution and Litigation Division acting chief Atty. Julito Doria briefed the lawmakers on the JAO draft, which includes provisions covering OFWs, shipping lines, local and foreign consolidators and port operators.
Newly appointed Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan emphasized the need to institutionalize a grievance redress mechanism and noted that OWWA already has a 24/7 call center, with plans to further strengthen it through collaboration with the DMW.
Acidre then urged these government agencies to approve the JAO before the session adjourns sine die next week.
“So the JAO is just the first step. Eventually it might come to a point that we’ll have to legislate but that would be for the next Congress to work on, the next committee chair to work on. But at this point I hope you do us a favor by making that one bold step of really putting, bringing this investigation to a happy conclusion,” Acidre said.
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