MANILA, 8 July — Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who have business to transact with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) in Manila may come at any time, even during midnight.
POEA Administrator Rosalinda D. Baldoz reiterated this announcement yesterday as she noted that a negligible number of OFWs are taking advantage of the round-the-clock processing system implemented by the agency since June 1.
Nacel Gabito, head of the POEA’s Information Office, said many of the request for documents are still made during office hours.
He said there have been a few queries made in the evenings and in the early mornings (between 6-8 a.m.), but none at all after 10 p.m.
Baldoz said this should catch on because it is part of the POEA’s modernization efforts which are being done on instructions issued by President Gloria Arroyo last May 1, Labor Day.
Baldoz said the POEA is elevating to international standards its systems and processes dealing with the essential transactions of OFWs through its continuous system (CSI) and process (CPI) improvement projects.
Improvements, particularly in the maritime sector, have helped reinforce and maintain the Philippines’ position as the world’s biggest source of skilled and certified seafarers, she stressed.
The Philippines supplies some 25 percent of the total global maritime requirement, she said. She added that the country’s admission into the International Maritime Organization’s (IMOs) “White List” ensured the employment of Filipino seafarers beyond 2002 after the amended 1978 Standards of Certification Training and Watchkeeping (STCW) convention takes full effect.
She also emphasized that the POEA is upgrading to world-class standards its processes and systems for land-based OFWs, who make up the majority of OFWs deployed abroad.
Norway
In another development, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has said the Philippine and Norwegian governments have signed a training and hiring agreement on the employment of OFWs, particularly professional nurses.
Labor Secretary Patricia A. Sto. Tomas stressed that the demand for Filipino nurses and health professionals abroad has grown due to their reputation as “caring” workers, their professionalism, and their consistent dedication to duty.
On those qualities, demand for nurses and other skilled Filipino workers has grown to high levels in Europe, the United States, Canada and other areas, she said.
POEA’s statistical data showed that only 180 OFWs were deployed to Norway last year. Norway indicated that it needed some 3,500 nurses.
