One-stop shop for OFWs serves 2,218 workers in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 11 (PNA) – The one-stop service center of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) field office here has served some 2,218 applicants and vacationing overseas Filipino workers (OFW).

At least 11 national government agencies have set up their desk at the POEA field office here to process documentary requirements of overseas workers under one roof since September 6, 2016.

Marlon Macalla, officer-in-charge of POEA field office here, said the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has the highest number of OFWs served at 1,069 between September to December 2016.

Other member-agencies that provided services to OFWs (with corresponding number of clients served) were the National Bureau of Investigation (461), Commission on Higher Education (231), POEA (229), Professional Regulations Commission (91), Philippine Statistics Authority (65), Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (38), Social Security System (21), Bureau of Immigration (14), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (three), and Maritime Industry Authority (one).

“The center is designed to reduce transportation expenses of OFWs and shorten the processing time of their documents,” Macalla said.

Services offered by the center include passport services, professional license isssuance, application for social benefits, education and training assistance, workers welfare assistance, social services, departure clearance information, issuance of NBI clearances, and other government services.

Marianne Rubino, 35, from Llorente, Eastern Samar, who has been working in Italy for 11 years, said the one-stop service center helped her a lot in the processing of documents.

“For someone who lives far from the regional capital, my transportation expenses was reduced since I don't have to go to different agencies to get documents,” Rubino said.

The setting up of one-stop service center for vacationing overseas workers and applicants is in response to President Rodrigo Duterte's directive to make it easier for the public to access government services.

The POEA is a government agency under the Department of Labor and Employment the main agency tasked to monitor and supervise recruitment agencies in the country.(PNA) FPV/SQM/Maria Eden Mae T. Terceño (OJT)