Starting next week, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) may finally get their much-awaited identification card (ID) from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to help fast track their government transactions.
In a text message, Bernard Olalia, Labor undersecretary and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) officer-in-charge administrator, said they are now finalizing the memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the implementation of their integrated DOLE system or iDOLE system.
The iDOLE system allows its users through the OFW ID to access their data in POEA, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Bureau of Immigration (BI), Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
As of last week, Olalia said all of the said agencies have already signed the MOA for iDOLE except DFA.
“After DFA signs the said MOA and data-sharing agreement, we will issue the guidelines (for the OFW ID),” Olalia said.
The guidelines would contain the issuance and application process for the OFW ID.
Olalia said they are targeting to start the printing and distribution of the OFW ID either on Dec. 5 or 6 in time for the surge in the arrival of OFW for the Christmas holidays.
“By first week of December we will roll out the ID,” Olalia said.
He said they already coordinated with APO Production Unit, another signatory of the MOA, for the printing of the OFW IDs.
“Once it is printed they (OFWs) could pick it up or may be delivered by APO to a location of their liking. They could also pick it up in POEA…,” Olalia said.
He noted the ID would be available for OFWs, but only after they applied for it.
To recall, DOLE held a soft launch of the OFW ID way back in July. However, the issuance of its guidelines were delayed after some stakeholders expressed their concerns about some of the features of the ID.
DOLE earlier said it is already addressing the said concerns. – Manila Bulletin
