Partylist aims to empower OFWs in new app

In a bid to further improve the lives of overseas Filipino workers (OFW), the OFW Partylist has joined hands with government agencies to develop the "OFW App".

The OFW Partylist signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) for the OFW App at the OFW Tulong at Serbisyo Center in Ayala Malls Manila Bay on Tuesday, 04 June.

The app was developed by the DICT and aims to provide OFWs convenient access to government agencies and its services.

According to DICT Undersecretary David Almirol, Jr., the OFW App is a "One-stop App for OFWs" as services provided by the DMW and OWWA are already available in the app.

"Imagine, at the tip of your fingertips, makukuha mo services ng DMW, services ng OWWA, services ng ibang agencies na hindi mo kinakailangang pisikal na pumunta (Imagine, at the tip of your fingertips, you can get services from DMW, services from OWWA, services from other agencies that you don't have to physically go to)," Almirol said.

He added that the app empowers OFWs by making government services available in the app while reducing expenses and consuming time lining up to government agencies like the DMW and OWWA.

Meanwhile, OFW Partylist Representative Marisa "Del Mar" Magsino said the idea behind the app is to determine the welfare and conditions of OFWs after they leave the country.

"Ang gusto ko po ay malaman kung ano ang nangyayari sa OFWs all over the world kasi once na umalis po nila ay hindi na po alam ng mga pamilya nila kung ano nang nagyari sa kanila, nabiktima ba sila ng illegal recruitment, human trafficking, na abuso na ba sila or kung anu-ano pa (What I want to know is what is happening to OFWs all over the world because once they leave, their families don't know what happened to them, did they become victims of illegal recruitment, human trafficking, abuse or something else?)," she said.

The lawmaker added that access to the application is not only limited to OFWs as their families can also use the application to ask for assistance with relevant government agencies.

One of the key features of the app is the OFW Worldwide Concerns where OFWs can submit a concern or complaint of alleged abuse by their employers, or a request for repatriation and reintegration.

The DICT said it can pinpoint the exact location where the complaint was lodged to allow government personnel to investigate and respond to the OFWs' concerns.

The DMW and OWWA have expressed their support to the app and vowed to help OFWs in need.

DICT Secretary Ivan Uy, on the other hand, warned users against the abuse of the app through submission of false complaints that they may be blocked from utilizing the app.

"Kung mahilig mag prank… at report nang report ito, eh maba-blacklist po siya kasi malalaman ng app kung sino itong basta-basta na lang nagrereklamo (If they like to do pranks... and submit [false] reports over and over, they will be blacklisted because the app will know who is complaining)," he said.

Uy added that OFWs can also submit a complaint of erring government workers or services overseas as the app also features a point-based system.

OFWs can also rate services of recruitment agencies and travel agencies to help other OFWs.

"This [app] is a very empowering tool because the power has been transferred to the hands of the OFW themselves," Uy said.

He also assured OFWs that their data will not be compromised as the information in the app is managed by the respective government agencies.

"Ang ginagawa po ng app eh gumagawa ng tulay upang i-connect sila… It's not all everything is in one basket… yung data po ay nakahiwa-hiwalay po, yung data ng OWWA nasa OWWA, yung data ng DMW nasa DMW (What the app does is to create a bridge to connect them... It's not all everything is in one basket... the data is scattered, the OWWA data is with OWWA, the DMW data is with DMW)," he stressed.

Other government services like the Social Security System (SSS), Philhealth, and Pagibig are set to be integrated with the app.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) also said it will integrate the digital copy of the National ID in the OFW App.

The app is set to formally launch in July and will be available in the App Store and Google Play Store.