The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Wednesday said it is ready to assist widows, heirs and kin of deceased overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who were employed by Saudi Arabian companies that declared bankruptcy between 2015 to 2016.

In a statement, the DMW said that Advisory 5 Series of 2024 — released on 26 March — outlines the steps for processing and cashing checks for the beneficiaries of deceased Saudi OFW claimants.

According to DMW, the process involves the submission to the agency of legal affidavits and public documents, such as birth and marriage certificates, to confirm identities and familial ties to the deceased Saudi OFW claimant.

Beneficiaries are also required to create a Special Power of Attorney designating the person to whose bank account the funds shall be deposited once the indemnity checks are processed.

Upon receiving and verifying these documents, the DMW will identify the rightful executor or heirs of the deceased Saudi OFW claimant and facilitate the endorsement of checks for deposit and processing.

It will also facilitate the deposit or encashment of checks.

The designated banks for these transactions are the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Overseas Filipino Bank which previously signed a memorandum of agreement with the DMW.

The agreement provides for the management and handling of indemnity checks from the Saudi government intended to settle claims for unpaid wages and other benefits of the displaced OFW claimants.

Advisory 5 complements the memorandum of agreement between the DMW, LandBank and the OFBank as it provides for the implementing guidelines that will simplify the process for the encashment of indemnity checks of widows and survivors of deceased OFW claimants.

It also provides a mechanism that will prevent the checks sent to deceased OFW claimants from November to December last year from going stale, disenfranchising their widows and heirs from collecting what was due them.