OFW
Launching
of One-Stop
Service
Center
for OFWs
(OSSCO) in
Santiago
City
F
or the ease and convenience of overseas Filipino workers
(OFWs), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
Region 2, in coordination with other agencies involved
in migration, launched the One-Stop Services Center
for OFWs (OSSCO) last March 9, 2018 at the Integrated
Terminal Complex, Malvar, Santiago City.
As one of the agencies of the OSSCO, the Overseas
Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Regional Welfare
Office 02 will facilitate OWWA membership processing and accommodate
queries on other programs and services.
The launching was spearheaded by the Administrator of Philippine
Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Atty. Bernard P. Olalia,
Deputy Administrator of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
(OWWA), Josefino I. Torres, Santiago City Mayor, Engr. Joseph S. Tan, and
OIC-Regional Director of the Department of Labor and Employment –
Region 2 (DOLE 2), Atty. Sarah Buena S. Mirasol.
“The establishment of OSSCO will ease the burden of OFWs on
processing of their documents because they don’t need to go from one
place to another anymore. They can now save time and expenses in
OWWA-RWO2 Staff
headed by OIC-Regional
Director Pilipina C. Dino
participated the OSSCO
launching
42
availing government services because practically all their needs can now
be catered in just one place,” Atty. Mirasol said.
The establishment of OSSCO in Santiago City is in response to the
order of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to streamline government
services for OFWs. Upon instruction of Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello
III, DOLE Region 2 established the OSSCO in Santiago City on March 9,
2018. This development is aimed to bring government services closer to
the people.
Mayor Tan is very grateful of the established OSSCO.
“I would like to thank Secretary Bello for establishing OSSCO in
our city. Now, my constituents need not go to Tuguegarao City to
process their documents. This OSSCO is not only open to OFWs from
Santiago City but also those who are from nearby municipalities and
provinces. This facility is just the beginning of a bigger collaboration in
the future. I am committing a lot of the City government in this area for
the construction of a bigger building for one-stop government services,”
Mayor Tan stressed.
On the other hand, OWWA Deputy Administrator Josefino I. Torres said
the OSSCO is in recognition of the contribution to the economy of OFWs.
Their remittances saved the country from the financial crisis in recent
years. It is just proper to make their lives easier and establishing OSSCO is
one way of helping them according to Torres.
The OSSCO in Santiago City is the 18th facility in the country and
second in Region 02. Sixteen government agencies are housed in