OWWA’s response to editorial ‘OWWA’s deficiencies’

Please allow us to respond to The Manila Times editorial on the “deficiencies” of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) published June 9, following its celebration of Migrant Workers Day last June 7.

On OWWA Repatriation Assistance

In its 27 years of service, the OWWA has been into many repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), at times, mass repatriation in emergency and crisis situations. As an integral part of its mandate, the agency provides repatriation assistance to member-OFWs, but not to irregularly documented workers who left the country to seek employment abroad without going through the legal documentation channel and without registering themselves with OWWA.

Since OWWA is a membership agency, it ensures that membership contributions are used solely for the welfare services of its member-OFWs. We therefore welcome the patriotic initiatives of some public and private institutions and individuals who support the government’s repatriation program by covering the repatriation costs of the non-registered members of OWWA, which unfortunately, has increased considerably in number over the last few years. These repatriations are coordinated closely with OWWA, which provides airport assistance, transportation, board and lodging, and medicine, among others, to the workers brought home.

On Education and Training Benefits

The editorial made mention of only one of the many education and scholarship programs of OWWA, particularly the Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP), OWWA’s program for baccalaureate courses, which grants increased in number for the current school year. But the researcher failed to mention the increase in scholarship grants under the Skills for Employment Scholarship Program and the programs under the Seafarers’ Comprehensive Education and Training Programs to enhance the competency of our seafarers for officer positions and secure their place in the international maritime world. These are the Seafarers Upgrading Program, Bridging Program, and the Cadetship Program. OWWA also offers Tuloy Aral, Dugtong Aral, and Tuloy Kolehiyo, for the education of children of less fortunate former OFWs, and the OWWA-Microsoft Tulay Program to provide computer literacy to OFWs and families in all 17 regions of the country and selected overseas OWWA posts.

The beneficiaries under the OWWA Education and Training Programs have increased more than ten-fold. And if the other OWWA services are to be assessed, one would notice additional programs and improved benefits, and more projects in the pipeline in response to the current needs of our OFW families.

On Displaced Workers and Livelihood Programs

The Editorial’s source inadvertently mixed up the different components of DOLE’s livelihood programs for displaced workers.

The OWWA lends a maximum of Php50,000 as financial assistance under its direct lending facility, to OFWs who lost their jobs due to the global financial crisis. The whole amount is received in full by the borrower, contrary to the assertion that only Php5,000 is released and the rest are raw materials and training kits. The social preparation comes in the form of business counseling and entrepreneurial skills training which takes only from one to three days. This loan program, which is part of the DOLE’s Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP), is under the Filipino Expatriate Livelihood Support Fund (FELSF) which was a response to the President’s call to set up a livelihood loan assistance program for Filipino expatriates.

To this date, OWWA has awarded FELSF loans to hundreds of beneficiaries all over the country and based on our initial monitoring, the micro-businesses set up by the borrowers have not only improved their financial status, but have also contributed in generating economic activities in their communities.

On OWWA Fund and Structure

OWWA ensures that the membership fees that make up the OWWA fund are used solely for the welfare programs and services for its member-OFWs and families. These are extended to them not only in the Philippines, but also in the various work sites abroad, with 35 OWWA welfare offices looking after their needs.

There has been an increased awareness of OWWA programs in recent years due to our effort to make our programs more accessible to OFWs and their families in every region and province. Aside from forming OFW Family Circles, we partner with corporate establishments to reach out to more members. We have likewise forged agreements with local government units nationwide to set up Migrant Workers Desks in the 17 regions. We also network with Filipino communities and OFW organizations abroad to broaden our reach.

The Editorial made mention of the Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA) and its survey, actually conducted on-line in 2008, to which OWWA has registered its observations. We found the methodology flawed, the sample inadequate, and the survey questionnaire leading. Consider the following:

1. The purpose of the survey was to gain the respondents’ perception of OWWA to consequently “formulate a legislative agenda for the structuring of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.” It was therefore not surprising that CMA would post leading questions that are biased against OWWA.

2. A sample size of 400 respondents is not, by any stretch of imagination, representative of the total population of OFWs on temporary contracts which number to five million. CMA admitted that it did not attempt to cover the total population, but the least it could have done was comply with the standard methodology on surveys and sampling. Moreover, as only a relatively small percentage of the OFWs at work have access to the Internet, the on-line survey was expected to reach a minimal number of respondents.

3. Aside from the sample size, the demographics were also questionable. CMA may have assumed that these respondents were all contract workers; OWWA sensed otherwise. Some of the respondents could have been Filipino immigrants permanently residing abroad and non-registered migrant workers, and therefore were not aware of OWWA and its functions, programs and services.

4. One of the objectives of the survey was to determine the level of awareness of the respondents regarding OWWA operations. However, while awareness may be indicative of extensive information dissemination and publicity, a lack of it may not necessarily suggest a defective organizational structure. Nor will restructuring OWWA improve the OFWs’ awareness level. The lack of awareness and a rather negative image may simply point to a need for an intensified information dissemination drive which OWWA is actually doing now.

OWWA values feedback from OFWs and social partners, but expects objectivity and fairness. On our part, we pledge to continue improving our services for the welfare and protection of our OFWs and their families.

Thank you for the opportunity to air our side.

OVERSEAS WORKERS WELFARE ADMINISTRATION