BONTOC, Mountain Province – Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Mountain Province need not to travel to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Baguio City to submit and process documents to avail of the various assistance program of the agency as the OWWA – Regional Office now has a Provincial Field Office in the same office with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) at the 2nd Floor of the Red Cross Building which is open from Monday to Friday at 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Family Welfare Officer Edna Banga-an of the OWWA-Provincial Field Office said that OWWA established a satellite office in the province in November 2017 to bring its services closer to the people.
The presence of the field office serves to ease costs and time of the clients in the province instead of them going to the OWWA- Baguio City.
Dolores E. Imatong, an OFW returnee from Bontoc is one among those who recently benefitted from the Welfare Assistance Program of the OWWA in the form of medical assistance.
Imatong who personally received the medical assistance from OWWA through a cheque in the amount of P10,000.00 on June 14, 2018 at the Office of the Municipal Mayor expressed her gratitude saying that the presence of the field office in the capital saved her time, money and effort in travelling to Baguio City to receive her financial assistance.
Mayor Franklin C. Odsey who handed her the cheque thanked the OWWA for their programs that benefit the OFWs and the OFW returnees.
Odsey mentioned that with the limited resources of the municipal government, it cannot extend all-out help to all those who are in need as much as they want too and with this field office, he is glad and thankful that OWWA has recently included the medical assistance to OFWs its various programs.
According to Banga-an, the medical assistance availed of by Imatong is open to all active and inactive OWWA members who are in need of financial aid. However, the amount is dependent on the medical diagnosis of the beneficiary. Active OWWA members may receive a higher financial assistance than those who are inactive members. Inactive members are those who did not renew their memberships to the OWWA for some reasons, like going home for good.
In order to avail of the program, a claimant must submit to the OWWA her/his latest medical certificate with the doctor’s diagnosis indicating whether the OFW’s illness is total/permanent disability or partial/temporary disability and she/he is physically fit or unfit to work having the kind of illness.
Other requirements include clinical abstract if with operation; histopath; photocopy of passport (page with name/picture, latest date of arrival and departure, visa stamp) or Travel Document; two pieces 2×2 ID picture of OFW-claimant; and two valid IDs of the OFW-claimant.
Banga-an said their office is open to everyone who would like to inquire and avail of the various programs of the agency, especially the OFWs and their family members.
In photo: FINANCIAL ASSISTANT – OFW returnee Dolores E. Imatong receives a cheque amounting to P10,000.00 from Family Welfare Officer Edna Banga-an from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and Bontoc Mayor Franklin C. Odsey. Present to witness the turnover is Migrant Desk Officer- Designate Jenelyn W. Caluza from the Office of the Municipal Mayor.
By Alpine L. Killa
