DoLE, 5 other agencies launch ‘Kabayanihan’

The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) and five government agencies joined hands in launching the “Kabayanihan” program, integrating various social protection services for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

The DoLE, in partnership with the Social Security System (SSS), Philhealth, Pag-Ibig, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, formally unveiled the Kabayanihan program aimed at enhancing the delivery of social and welfare services to OFWs and their families under a one card transaction system.

The labor department and its partners signed a memorandum of agreement to ensure the efficient delivery of the social protection services beneficial to the OFWs using a “bundling approach” membership and services.

Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito Roque said Kabayanihan will facilitate the establishment of sustainable community-based livelihood and micro-entrepreneurial undertakings which will be supported by organized OFWs and Filipino communities abroad.

The said program is a one-stop-shop that will be set up at the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices where OFWs may access the services of SSS, Pag-Ibig, Philhealth, POEA and it offers an online information access to its members on and off worksite.

Kabayanihan unifies the government’s welfare services, social insurance, savings and investment, housing, loans, and scholarship benefits to OFWs and their families, starting from the time an OFW departs the country and assumes his or her work responsibilities abroad, and returns.

Roque said Kabayanihan, which will have a single identification card to avail of the services of the participating agencies, is also accessible, affordable and more convenient for Filipinos working abroad.

The program features a one-time simplified registration and transaction procedures; a single OFW identification card designed to avail of the services; and an online information services to OFWs which are all reinforced in the implementation stages by the unified OFW Kabayanihan Caravans and outreach activities. Mina Diaz, Daily Tribune