OFW Exit Clearance Now Separate from PhilHealth, PagIBIG Fees Collections – POEA
Overseas Filipino workers are still encouraged to update their membership and pay the corresponding contributions to PhilHealth, as well as to PagIBIG, for their protection. PHOTO FROM PHILHEALTH
MANILA – Responding to the clamor of some overseas Filipino workers’ organizations, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has separated the issuance of overseas employment certificate(OEC) or exit clearance from the collection of government fees such as PhilHealth and PagIBIG.
In POEA Advisory No. Q 6 Series of 2015, POEA chief Hans Cacdac said that starting April 1, the OEC will be issued by POEA and its processing centers in Metro Manila to Balik-Manggagawa or vacationing workers separate from PhilHealth and PagIBIG collections.
“This means that the issuance of OEC will no longer be tied up with the payment of fees/premiums to the said agencies and the OEC can be secured by Balik-Manggagawa as it is together with OWWA membership,” Cacdac said.
This collection scheme, which shall be adopted in the case of new hires including agency hired workers starting the same date, has been implemented by processing centers in the regions and in the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) since last year, the POEA chief said.
However, he encouraged OFWs to continuously update their membership and pay corresponding contributions to PhilHealth and PagIBIG which are mandatory under existing laws, for their protection.
Direct enrollment and payment to these agencies can be done through their various offices and collection centers, he said.
Cacdac encouraged land-based recruitment agencies to coordinate with PhilHealth and PagIBIG for the enrollment of their hired workers including payment of corresponding fees .