Expanded OFW protection law to take effect August

Published July 30, 2010 10:42am

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said some eight million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) stand to benefit when the expanded OFW protection law takes effect in August. â€œWith the publication of the implementing rules and regulations, I now direct the family of agencies under the DOLE that have OFW-related mandates to craft their own internal rules and regulations for the smooth operationalization and implementation of the provisions of the law," Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said in an article posted Thursday on the DOLE website. The other agencies also working on the rules are the Department of Foreign Affairs and other government agencies with OFW-related mandates. DOLE said the implementing rules and regulations, published in newspapers Wednesday, will take effect after 15 days or on August 13. Baldoz said the implementation of Republic Act 10022, the expanded OFW protection law, "is a challenge that puts the DOLE at an even bigger forefront of OFW social protection." She emphasized 11 of the 22 items in the agenda are for the protection of OFWs and for enhancing their competitiveness. Some of the highlights of the new law are the:

Stronger bilateral and multilateral relations with the receiving countries for OFW protection;

Provision of free skills training and livelihood programs for OFWs;

â€œPositive and concrete measures" of host countries to protect the rights of migrant workers;

Prohibition of acts that may constitute illegal recruitment by both licensed and unlicensed agencies;

Implementation of anti-illegal recruitment programs;

Placement of the responsibility for OFW repatriation upon the principal or employer and licensed recruitment agency;

Establishment of the National Reintegration Center for OFWs;

Protection from abusive medical clinics;

Legal assistance fund for filing of cases against erring or abusive employers; and

Compulsory provision of insurance to cover agency-hired workers for accidental death, natural death, permanent total disablement, repatriation costs, subsistence allowance benefit, money claims, compassionate visit, medical evaluation, and medical repatriation. â€” VVP/RSJ, GMANews.TV

Tags: overseasfilipinoworkers, ofws, dole