RIYADH, 3 March 2004 — The Philippine Embassy’s labor office has started visiting companies employing Filipino workers to explain the various programs of the government for them, according to Labor Attaché Manuel “Dodong” Roldan.
“We have drawn enthusiastic responses from the Filipino community in Riyadh regarding the visits which the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) team has been conducting,” Roldan told Arab News on Thursday.
He said the visits are a part of the programs of the Philippine Embassy for OFWs.
Yesterday, the POLO team was to visit the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital (KKESH) which employs hundreds of OFWs. Earlier, the team visited the Al-Mishari Hospital and the Riyadh National Hospital.
During the visits, the team explained the benefits that await those who enroll in the government’s Pag-IBIG housing program.
“If before, OFWs believe that approval of Pag-Ibig housing loans took a long time, that’s not the case anymore. We explained that as long as documents are complete, OFWs can follow up their housing applications from the Kingdom through the Pag-IBIG representative,” Welfare Officer Federico Biolena told Arab News.
The team also explained that savings with the Pag-IBIG has interest rates of 6%, which is much higher than the maximum of 2% given by the banks. Taxes are also levied on the interest rates given by the banks.
Members can also avail themselves of the Pag-IBIG housing bond program, with one share having a denomination of 5,000 pesos.
It’s high yield and interest-free. A holder is entitled to a raffle ticket and has the chance to win one of the 12 house and lots being raffled off yearly.
The team has also explained the benefits of the members of the Social Security System (SSS), such as its housing program and the availability of loans.
OFWs are also being enlightened on the benefits of being members of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). Membership in OWWA, which had been made mandatory by the Arroyo administration, is renewed every two years for land-based OFWs who have open-ended contracts.
For those who have to renew their contracts each year, the renewal is also yearly. The fee is $25.
The beneficiary receives P100,000 if an OWWA member dies of natural causes, plus P20,000 burial assistance.
If the member dies of accident, the beneficiary receives P200,000, plus P20,000 in burial assistance.
