By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday called for closer collaboration and cooperation to ensure the successful implementation of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Mobile App and the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Pass.
Partnerships between concerned government agencies and the private sector are vital in further improving the services for Filipino migrant workers, Marcos said during the pilot test run of the DMW Mobile App and OFW Pass at Malacañan Palace in Manila.
“I am delighted to see the outcome of this initiative, especially now that we are striving towards expanding the DMW’s reach to other countries and digitalizing other OFWs’ services,” Marcos said in his keynote speech.
“So, I encourage everyone, from government agencies to the private sector, to join us in this undertaking to pool our resources and expertise for the effective implementation and improvement of this mobile app. This is only a glimpse of what this government has in store,” he added.
Designed specifically for OFWs, the DMW Mobile App includes the OFW Pass, which serves as the digital alternative to the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC).
The initiative provides a more convenient and transaction-free replacement for the paper-based OEC, which costs P100.
The OFW Pass utilizes QR (Quick Response) Code technology, uniquely designed to render the electronic document tamper-proof and instantly verifiable when transacting with other government mobile applications. Its validity is based on the expiration of the OFW’s working contract.
The President assured the OFWs that his administration is committed to pursuing “innovative” strategies to provide hassle-free services to OFWs.
“Gone are the days when OFWs had to endure long queues to obtain this certification,” he said.
“We had to find a better way of processing those applications and providing the protections that we would like to give to our OFWs. And so now any OFW has access to this service at their fingertips.”
Marcos thanked the DMW, the Bureau of Immigration, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology for their collaborative efforts to digitalize the transactions with OFWs.
“We owe it to our hardworking migrant workers for making great strides not only for themselves but for their loved ones and our country. Our OFWs endure hardships for being far away from their comfort zones to fuel the aspirations of their families and their communities,” he said.
“So this initiative is a tribute to their dedication and our reaffirmation to our commitment to their wellbeing as we continue to find ways to make their lives better no matter where they are,” Marcos added.
Both the DMW Mobile App and the OFW Pass are free of charge, in honor of the sacrifices and contributions of the OFWs to the Philippine economy.
The DMW Mobile App is available for download from both Google Play and Apple Store. (PNA)
