News Archive

Batch 1 of EDSP and Batch 4 of CMWSP Graduates

A total of twenty-three (23) Education for Development Scholarship Program and Congressional Workers Migrant Scholarship Program scholars were honored during OWWA’s 26th Founding Anniversary held last 02 May 2008 at the Palacio de Manila.

File photo of PGMA with then DOLE Sec. Brion, OWWA Administrator Roque, and NAIA Gen. Manager Cusi welcoming recipient OFWs of an OWWA facilitated mass repatriation last 04 April 2007.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has taken measures to facilitate the repatriation of a total of seventy-four (74) Filipino-deportees from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia by April.

According to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Jeddah, the first batch of 27 deportees will arrive on 11 April 2008. Acting Labor Secretary and OWWA Administrator Marianito D. Roque has committed to provide financial assistance to the deportees upon their arrival. The overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who are active OWWA members shall be covered by OWWA while the rest shall be taken care of by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Eleuterio “Eli (pronounced as E-lai)” N. Gardiner, who hails from Tarlac, was born on February 20, 1939. He finished his elementary and high school at Lamao Barrio High School and graduated from the Far Eastern University with a degree on BS Business Administration.

Dubbed as the “Jerry Lewis” of the Philippines for his musical prowess, Eli Gardiner was a former Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who worked abroad as a member of the Five Brown Boys, the First Filipino band to play in Japan. He later formed the Eli Gardiner and the President’s Band which became very popular in Okinawa and Taipei.

DOLE Undersecretary Lourdes M. Trasmonte handing over the DOLE colors to OWWA Administrator and now Acting Secretary Marianito D. Roque in a turnover ceremony held last 24 March 2008.

The reward of hard work, perseverance and loyalty to the Filipino people is how Marianito D. Roque regards every success that has come into his career as a public servant.

Born on December 8, 1954 of Mauro J. Roque, a contractor-entrepreneur, and Eliza Dineros, a homemaker, Nitoy, as peers, friends and family call him, completed elementary and secondary studies at the Lamao Bataan High School in 1971, in Limay, Bataan.

He studied at the De La Salle College in Manila, obtaining his bachelor's degree in economics in 1975. In 1978, he completed his master's degree in business administration at the Ateneo de Manila University.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed today Administrator Marianito Roque of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) as Acting Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has appointed Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Arturo Brion as associate justice of the Supreme Court (SC).

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita made the announcement today during a break in the Lenten recollection he, together with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and several Cabinet secretaries, members of Congress and government employees, were attending at the San Miguel Pro-Cathedral, a stone’s throw away from Malacañang Palace.

MANILA, Philippines - After more than 20 years of separation, 65-year-old Leonora Somera is finally reunited with her only daughter three days after her arrival from Saudi Arabia where she worked as shepherdess.

MANILA, Philippines - To catch up with the growing global demand for marine officers, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has set aside P50 million for skills training and upgrading of Filipino seafarers.

Secretary Art Brion turns over the project fund to the representative of Hublag Dao OFW Assn.-Barasanan Chapter. He was assisted by Undersecretary Lily Pineda. (far right).

More than fifty (50) beneficiaries of overseas Filipino workers representing seven (7) associations of OFWs in Panay received their respective funds during the Regional Conference on the Reintegration Program for Overseas Family Circles (OFCs) with Approved Projects at Sampaguita Garden Resort, New Washington, Aklan last March 1.

From January to December 2007, the Regional Operations Coordinating Service (ROCS) of THE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) reported a total of 3,992 availments for upgrading trainings for seafarers sponsored by the OWWA under the Seafarers Upgrading Program (SUP).

SUSUPE, Saipan – About 52 percent or 107 of the 206 children of less fortunate former overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who received scholarships in school year 2007-2008 under the Philippine government’s Tuloy Aral program were sponsored by Filipino individuals, groups and companies on Saipan.

When an OFW goes to the Philippine Embassies or to the Philippine Consulates abroad, the well known officers of the said government offices would be the Ambassador, Consul General, Consul or Vice-Consul. Some may also know the officers of the attached services like the Labor, Defense, and Trade Attachés. But what about the OWWA Welfare Officer?

During the late 1980’s, when small-time and non-corporate foreign employers were allowed to hire Filipino skilled and household service workers, the number of OFW Welfare Cases also rose as many of these employers tend to violate the terms of employment signed by our workers in the Philippines. Physical, mental, and other kinds of abuses also multiplied. It was then only the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) which was handling all of the mentioned cases and given the latter’s magnitude, the DFA suddenly found that the Embassies and Consulates were understaffed and ill-prepared to handle the said cases. It was these circumstances that gave birth to the OWWA Welfare Officer.

As the lead agency tasked to promote and protect the welfare of OFWs, OWWA saw the need to send trained and experienced people to assist OFWs in their problems especially if it pertains to their employment conditions. The first batch of Welfare Officers was deployed by OWWA in 1988 to countries where there are large concentrations of OFWs. Some of these countries then, like Qatar and Bahrain, did not even have any embassies and/or consulates from the Philippines then. The Welfare Officers main task is to handle cases of OFWs but as time goes by, OWWA saw the need to introduce other welfare programs that caters to the needs of OFWs.

The family of the late OFW ZENIA AGUILAR is set to get full OWWA benefits after her deployment record showed that she was a documented worker.

When one asks what assistance does the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) provide for OFWs? Many would probably answer the on-site assistance provided by OWWA overseas posts in handling OFW welfare cases, or the airport assistance to distressed OFWs or the life insurance benefits that it provides to beneficiaries of its departed member-OFWs. But how about scholarship for beneficiaries of OFWs?

MOFYA National Awardees

The Model Overseas Filipino Worker’s (OFW) Family of the Year Award (MOFYA) is an annual event of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). Its objective is to give recognition to OFWs and their families who have demonstrated financial stability, steady and enduring family ties, and outstanding community service.

It was first conceptualized in 2003, the Year of the OFW Family. It started out as a component activity of OWWA’s Family Welfare Program for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families but eventually evolved into a more prestigious event due to its significance and impact.

Tele-viewers of QTV 11 witnessed the first airing of “Mga Waging Kuwento ng OFW” MOFYA TV Series last Sunday, October 28, 2007 at 11 A.M. The initial episode is about “ANICIA ABRERA ALVAREZ, Region IX, Winner, 2005 MOFYA” from which the story of Glenn Sta. Maria, Computer Technician, Singapore was based.

As of the final day of submission last 15 October 2007, a total of one hundred eighty-three (183) OFWs and their families nationwide are nominated to be the next recipient of the Model OFW Family of the Year Award (MOFYA).

Some 100 scholarship grant slots are available for qualified dependents of overseas Filipino workers who are members of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, an official of OWWA announced over the weekend.

Good news for all OWWA Scholars! A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed last 27 September 2007 by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Landbank of the Philippines wherein allowances and other entitlements of OWWA Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP), Congressional Migrant Workers Scholarship Program (CMWSP), and the Tuloy-Aral Project (TAP) scholars would now be made available to them via automated teller machines (ATMs).

WASHINGTON — The home countries of international labor migrants can play a major role in protecting temporary workers, says a new report from the Migration Policy Institute. Protecting Overseas Workers: Lessons and Cautions from the Philippines details how a welfare fund financed by migrants has placed a safety net under overseas workers from the Philippines, home to the largest organized labor-export program in the world.