MANILA, July 17 — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is hoping to come out with the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) ID in August.
With this, DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III said that they are set to release the guidelines on the ID within this month.
“Ang ilalabas namin within one to two weeks ay ‘yung implementing guidelines. Siguro by first or second week of August ilalabas na natin ang mga IDs,” he said in a television interview.
The DOLE chief also reminded the people particularly the OFWs that the ID will be issued to them for free, adding that those who are saying otherwise are engaged in a scam.
“Huwag kayo maniwala (na may bayad ang ID). Maliwanag na ang ibibigay na ID sa OFWs ay walang bayad. Libre po ‘yan at walang gagastusin ang ating OFW. Kung may nagsasabi man, nambobola ‘yan o kaya gusto kumotong,” he noted.
Bello was asked if the employers will be the ones to shoulder the fees for the IDs, he said, “Depende na yan sa paguusap ng technical people, maaring employer, maaring recruitment agency. Basta inportante walang babayaran ang OFWs.”
He warned that deducting the fee to the salary of Filipino workers is prohibited.
“Bawal ‘yan. May penalty yan or baka makansela license nila pag ginawa nila yan dahil maliwanag libre ang OFW ID,” the DOLE chief added. (Ferdinand G. Patinio/PNA)
