SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS, )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Second Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Ji
House Bill No. 7629)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Our overseas workers (OFWs) could be affected by the US-led global financial crisis.
A recession in the United States, Europe and Japan would cause many of our OFWs to lose
their jobs, Besides Singapore, France, Ireland and New Zealand are now officially in
recession. The Philippines is vulnerable to the present crisis because of its overseas
workers. There are around eight million Filipinos overseas or nearly one-tenth of the
Philippine population.

In 2006, a total of 91,411 domestic helpers and other household workers were
deployed overseas. Of this number, 98 percent or nearly 90,000 are female. Most of them
were deployed to the following areas: Hong Kong (19,532), Kuwait (19,097), Saudi Arabia
(14,898), United Arab Emirates (11,844), Lebanon (7,710), Qatar (6,524), Jordan (4,359),
Singapore (3,162), Oman (2,068), Cyprus (1,178) and Bahrain (1,343).

In 2007, the Philippines deployed a total of 49,431 workers to Singapore, part of the
1.08 million Filipinos who went overseas for work that year.

In 2012, the Philippines deployed around 2,220,000 Overseas Filipino Workers many
‘of whom went to the Middle East, including Lebanon and Jordan; and in Asia.

Another problem is the large numbers of migrant workers without proper documents
in Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea. In times of an economic
slump, the first thing that governments do is crack down on undocumented workers because
they are seen as a burden on the economy and a problem to society. More than 53 million
migrant workers from Asia employed worldwide, mostly in the Gulf countries and the Middle
East. Many are low and middie skilled laborers.

‘The government should be ready for the influx of jobless OFWs from the crisis-ridden
countries. This bill seeks to provide loans to retuming OFWs.

In view thereof, immediate approval of this Bill is sought.

“IM

MAXIMO'B. RODRIGEZ, JR.


SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Second Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

introduced by Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.
House Bill No. 7829.

AN ACT
PROVIDING CREDIT ASSISTANCE TO RETURNING OVERSEAS WORKERS
AFFECTED BY CURRENT GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Returning Overseas Workers Credit
Assistance Act’.

‘SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared a policy of the State to ensure the
welfare of retuming overseas workers affected by the current global financial crisis by
providing them access to credit facilities

‘SEC. 3. Loan. — A retuming overseas contract worker affected by the current global financial
crisis may avail of a loan of not more than Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) from the
Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration (OWWA).

SEC. 4, Payment of Loan. - The loan shall be paid in twelve (12) equal monthly
installments at a preferred interest rate not to exceed six percent (6%) per annum.

SEC. 5. Appropriation. - The amount of P1,000,000.00 from the sale of government's
shares in Petron Corporation is hereby appropriated to implement the provisions of this Act.

‘SEC. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The OWWA shall promulgate the rules
and regulations for the effective enforcement of the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 7. Separability Clause. — Should any provision of this Act or any part thereof be
declared invalid, the other provisions, so far as they are separable from the invalid ones,
shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. — All laws, orders, issuances, rules and regulations or parts
thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 9. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication
in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,