 |
| Polo office building in Wanchai |
By Vir B. Lumicao
From automated processing of employment contracts, the Philippine
Overseas Labor Office has reverted to going through the documents manually, all because the new system meant to make the work faster and more efficiently has been junked.
The electronic system that Polo used
previously has already been disconnected, and was supposed to be
replaced with a new one in line with a contract signed between former Labor Attache
Jalilo dela Torre and Polaris Tools Limited.
But since the agreement was scrapped by Labor Secretary
Silvestre Bello III last month for supposedly being a “midnight deal,” the
processing of work contracts has reverted to the pre-2009 era, when the job was done by hand.
Polo Office-in-Charge Antonio Villafuerte said he and the
rest of the Polo officers who check the work contracts are just awaiting instructions
from DOLE on what to do next.
“Wala pa ngang instruction sa amin kung ano ang (gagawin),
magku-query na lang kami kung ano ang gagawin namin dito,” he said.
“Mahihirapan kami kung mahihirapan kami. Doon sa mga
submission ng contracts, yung checking ng documents ay nagma-manual na kami.
Unlike before, they could submit through online, ngayon wala na,” Villafuerte
said.
Before Polaris clinched the deal for the new system, all
contracts submitted by employment agencies were processed with help from the
old system installed by the previous provider, Employeasy.
Dela Torre said he decided to upgrade the system so Polo
could also have a data base that tracked workers and employers on the
watchlist, as well as agencies that violated the terms of their accreditation.
But after a selection process that resulted in Polaris
bagging the deal, an unsigned letter addressed to Bello
 |
| Dela Torre (middle) signed contract with Polaris' Lindsay Ernst while welfare officer Marivic Clarin watched |
On Sept 25, an investigation team led by Undersecretary
Claro Arellano recommended revoking the contract as it was supposedly done with
“manifest haste and a lack of transparency”.
Dela Torre has hit back at the decision, alleging lack of
due process as the team did not talk to him, or anyone from Polaris. He has
posted comments on social media saying he is contemplating legal action to
clear his name.
With about 700 contracts being submitted to Polo each day,
one would think the processing of the documents now takes longer than usual,
and has overwhelmed staff.
Far from it, says Villafuerte, as his staff reportedly finds
manual processing faster than electronic.
But he admits Polo now finds it difficult to keep track of
employers who are on the watch list, meaning those with a record for abusive
behavior or of committing contract violations, can now easily apply to hire a
new Filipino domestic worker.
---
I-try mo ito, Kabayan: Kung interesado kang ma-contact ang mga advertiser namin dito, pindutin lang ang kanilang ad, at lalabas ang auto-dialer. Pindutin ulit upang tumawag. Hindi na kailangang pindutin ang mga numero.
