(File photo)
MANILA – The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on Tuesday said it has extended the deadline for the submission of monitoring reports in the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Welfare Monitoring System (OWMS) by Philippine Recruitment Agencies (PRAs) and Licensed Manning Agencies (LMAs) until April 30.
“In view of the numerous request from PRAs, LMAs, and industry organizations and associations, the deadline to create and/or update the welfare records in the OWMS of all OFWs onsite and seafarers onboard is hereby extended until 30 April 2021,” the agency said in an advisory.
At the same time, the POEA warned agencies that failure to comply with the order will warrant appropriate penalties.
“Failure to submit the required reports within the prescribed period shall warrant the imposition by the Administration of sanctions, as it may deem appropriate," it added.
POEA Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 9, Series of 2019, provides that the OWMS is the tool to be used by the PRAs and LMAs in submitting reports on the status and condition of OFWs.
It also provides that an initial report on the status and conditions of newly deployed OFWs onsite and seafarers onboard shall be done within three months after deployment. Updates of their status and condition should be submitted every quarter thereafter.
However, significant and critical incidents involving deployed Filipino workers should be reported to the POEA within five days from the occurrence thereof.
The monitoring of the status and condition of deployed Filipino workers is in compliance with the Revised POEA Rules and Regulations Governing the Recruitment and Employment of Land-based Overseas Filipino Workers of 2016 and 2016 Revised POEA Rules and Regulations Governing the Recruitment and Employment of Seafarers and MC No. 12 Series of 2018. (PNA)
