TIM eMagazine Vol.3 Issue 11
OFW One-
Stop Center
strengthened
POEA-One-Stop
Service Center for
OFWs (OSSCO)
Credit : https://pia.gov.ph
S
ixteen government
agencies led by
the Department
of Labor and
Employment -
Philippine Overseas
Employment
Administration
sealed a more cohesive partnership
to further strengthen the
operations of One-Stop Service
Center for OFWs (OSSCO) in the
country.
In a memorandum of understanding, which was signed at
the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), the
labor department has formalized its collaboration with 15 other
government agencies in the delivery of services to OFWs.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, in his statement which was
read by POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia, said that through
the OSSCO the "time to process documents is shortened, travel
expenses are reduced, and effectiveness of delivery of services is
increased."
Administrator Olalia, meanwhile, emphasized the shared
responsibility among government agencies in providing enhanced
OFW services.
"We have already signed MOU with our partners in the regions,
but it is the first time that we will be signing the MOU at the
national level. Through this, we expect to explore other areas of
cooperation with our partner agencies," the POEA Administrator
said.
POEA Administrator
Bernard Olalia
Credit: dole.gov.ph
As of December 2018, a total of 3.8 million clients have been
served by the 19 OSSCOs nationwide.
Approximately 30 identified services from 16 different
government agencies are accessible to OSSCO clients.
A 24/7 hotline has also been set up to provide guidance for
various OFW concerns.
Through the OSSCO, government frontline services are made
accessible to Filipinos who are currently working or planning to
work overseas. It operates from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Mondays to
Fridays.
OSSCO was launched on August 15, 2016, at the POEA in
Mandaluyong City.
The government agencies at the OSSCO are Department
of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine Overseas Employment
Administration (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
(OWWA), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Maritime
lndustry Authority (MARINA), Home Development Mutual Fund
(HDMF), Philippine Health lnsurance Corporation (PhilHealth),
Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA),
Bureau of Immigration (BI), National Bureau lnvestigation (NBI),
Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Tourism lnfrastructure
and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), Philippine National Police
(PNP), and Bureau of lnternal Revenue (BIR). www.dole.gov.ph
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