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| Labatt Chavez explains the new online verification system as ALA Karen Arlan and a representative of the systems provider Dataflow look on |
Starting on April 30, all overseas Filipino workers who have signed up with the same employer (Balik Manggagawa) need no longer visit the Migrant Workers Office to have their employment contracts verified as they can get this done online.
This was announced
by Labor Attache Cesar Chavez, Jr. during a consultation meeting with Filipino community
leaders held at the OFW Global Centre on April 19.
Labatt Chavez said
the Online Employment Contract Verification System (OECVS) will be rolled out a
day before Labor Day, to underline the Department of Migrant Workers’ pledge to
make life easier for OFWs.
He said this
should ease the problem of overcrowding at the DMW, especially during peak
seasons like Christmas and school graduation, when thousands of OFWs line up to secure
the overseas employment certificate (OEC) which they need to be able to exit
the Philippines and return to their work in Hong Kong.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
But he hastened to
add that online verification, which incurs a HK$40 “convenience fee” on top of
the HK$80 verification fee, is just an option, meaning those who prefer to
personally submit their work contract at the MWO can still do so.
After all the required
documents for verification are submitted and the applicable fees are paid, it
will take three working days before the process is completed.
“Once (the
verification application) is approved, the OEC is automatically generated after
24 hours through the DMW portal,” said Labatt Chavez.
Also in the
pipeline according to him, is a new appointment and queuing system for those
who wish to avail of services from the MWO. OFWs who walk into the office will be
issued a ticket, which means they will no longer have to queue in front of the
counters while waiting to be attended to.
Labatt said the
OFWs may even take a coffee break right inside the MWO office on the 29th
floor of United Centre building, as it will have the same free coffee station
as the one at the OFW Global Centre on the 18th floor.
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| OFWs packed the room where the briefing was held |
Addressing the
long-standing clamor for the OEC to be scrapped, Labatt said he shares this
sentiment, but right now, there is still no better way to guard OFWs against
human trafficking and work exploitation once they leave the country.
He urged OFWs to
familiarize themselves with obtaining the OEC online, and not rely on others to
do it for them as they will be sharing personal data that could be used by
unscrupulous people to get them into trouble.
“Ginagawan na natin ng paraan na i-simplify
ang proseso, dahan-dahan nating i-improve,” he said. (We are already trying
to simplify the process, we will slowly find ways to improve it).
He added that the MWO
is always willing to help and hear them out if they have suggestions on how the
issuance of the OEC could be improved.
Asked why immigration
officers in the Philippines are not recognizing the OFW Pass in place of the
OEC, Labatt said that to be safe, OFWs returning to their workplace should
secure both documents.
“Ang OEC pa rin ang hinahanap, pero pwede naman
pareho,” he said. (It is still the OEC that they want to see, but there’s
no harm in having both documents).
Assistant Labor
Attache Karen Arlan said the DMW is in the process of talking with airlines in
the Philippines as reports indicate the airline staff at the check-in counters
are the ones who refuse to recognize the OFW Pass in place of the OEC.
For a complete
list of the documents needed for contract verification, please click this link
to get to the OECVS portal: mwohk-ph.com/verification-of-employment-contracts/
Or check the
Facebook page of MWO Hong Kong
To start your
verification application, log on directly to dmw.dataflowgroup.com
If you encounter any problem using the system, you may contact the MWO directly through their website or by phone, 2886 0640
