Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.

3887

Introduced by Hon. RONNIE L. ONG

EXPLANATORY NOTE

There are over 2.8 million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) as of
September 2018, and the numbers keep growing up to this day. Dubbed as our
modern day heroes, OFWs brave through relocating to another foreign country for
jobs with higher-paying salaries to provide a better life for their families back here in
the Philippines. More than being significant drivers of our economy through their
remittances, OFWs are symbols of perseverance, hard work, and resilience.

Many of these OFWS are probinsyanos who are now employed as seafarers,
office staff, domestic helpers, artist performers, care-givers, teachers, nurses,
engineers, doctors, and skilled workers and laborers all over the world. Sadly, when
processing important documents and other matters especially when they come
home, they are constrained to spend time in Metro Manila where agencies are
located, lessening their precious time with their families in the province.

The issue does not stop there. On a regular basis, large numbers of
probinsyanos of all ages are aspiring to be OFWs themselves in order to provide for
their families. Among the requirements they need to process for employment
purposes are government-issued identification cards like passport, professional
licenses and documents like birth and marriage certificates. Sadly, many
probinsyanos do not have convenient access to frontline government agencies
providing the said documentary requirements for their work abroad, thus hindering
and delaying their quest for better job opportunities.

Thankfully, per the directive of the President, the Philippine Overseas
Employment Agency (POEA) together with the Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE) has established nineteen (19) One Stop Service Centers for


OFWs (OSSCOs) nationwide beginning August 2016. OSSCOs provide a one-stop
shop for aspiring overseas workers where they can process documentary
requirements that they need like passport, NBI clearance, and birth certificate — all in
one place.

As of the end of 2018, the following government agencies have established
their presence at the designated OSSCOs: Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA),
Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration (OWWA), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Maritime Industry Authority
(MARINA), Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), Philippine Health Insurance
Corporation (PhilHealth), Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Statistics
Authority (PSA), Bureau of Immigration (BI), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI),
Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise
Zone Authority (TIEZA), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Bureau of Internal
Revenue (BIR). These government agencies are involved in issuing documents
needed for employment overseas, and are thus housed in OSSCOs.

Since August 2016, it is observed that OSSCOs shorten document processing
time, reduce travel expenses, and increase the efficiency of delivering basic
services. More importantly, the precious time of our OFWs and would-be OFWs for
their loved ones would not be cut short.

However, this landmark project by the DOLE and POEA under the Duterte
Administration currently faces restrictions or challenges in terms of budget, location
or space, personnel, and streamlining of operations. Space restrictions, for example,
is reported to exist for the Department of Foreign Affairs Passport Section of
OSSCOs. Machines needed in the passport section are said to occupy a large
amount of space, and not all OSSCO branches can accommodate the space
requirement needed for these bulky passport-processing machines. Hence, not all
OSSCOs have a DFA Passport Section. This then defeats the purpose of OSSCOs
in giving OFWs and would-be OFWS accessible and affordable access to frontline
government agencies wherever they are in the country.

Tabular report as of June 2019 submitted by the DOLE-POEA Regional
Overseas Coordinating Office (ROCO) also shows that there are still regions without
established OSSCOs. Moreover, despite having an existing OSSCO, a certain region
may lack some frontline services such as the absence of a Passport Section as
mentioned above. This results to the prevailing incomplete OSSCO set-up instead of
having 30 available different services from the 16 identified frontline government
agencies.


As of March 2019, the ROCO has reported that existing OSSCOs have
served 4 million clients. This is a strong proof that people need these OSSCOs. But
as the figure does not capture the quality of service provided to our modem-day
heroes, institutionalizing OSSCOs, including ensuring annual budget and trained
personnel, may even increase that number of clients or, at least, result to Filipinos
being satisfied with the quality of service provided. After prioritizing our OFWs,
OSSCO's purpose may even be expanded in order for agencies to serve other
probinsyanos such as the families and relatives of OFWS.

Thus, this bill seeks to institutionalize Regional One-Stop Shop Centers for
OFWs (ROSSCO) as well as introduce improvements in the current system in order
to ensure that all frontline government services are of quality and are available per
ROSSCO branch in every region in the country. Whether or not the government will
eventually put in place a Department for OFWs, institutionalizing ROSSCOs will
already sufficiently address the gap in how we treat our OFWs. In the future,
ROSSCOs may also be used as the necessary mechanism to implement various
programs and projects for OFWs and their families nationwide.

All OFWS and all probinsyanos aspiring to be OFWs from regions alll over the
Philippines deserve access to government agencies aiding them in their choice of
working overseas. It is the government's job to help them achieve their dreams faster
and not to hinder them any further from providing a better life for their loved ones.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.

Introduced by Hon. RONNIE L. ONG

AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE REGIONAL ONE-STOP SHOP CENTERS
FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS NATIONWIDE

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

Section 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Regional One-Stop
Shop Centers for Overseas Filipino Workers (ROSSCO)" Act.

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
promote equal opportunities for employment for all Filipinos regardless of gender,
ethnicity, residence, or religion and uphold their welfare at all times. Moreover, the
State shall protect the right of all Filipinos for self-determination and, in particular,
acknowledge that overseas work is a choice by Filipinos and, thus, to be fully
supported by the government.

The State also recognizes that Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)
significantly contribute to our country’s economic growth and national development
through their foreign exchange remittances. In line with this, the State shall provide
adequate, relevant, continuous, affordable and accessible services and assistance to
both existing and aspiring OFWs.

Sec. 3. Regional One-Stop Service Centers for OFWs Nationwide. The
Regional One-Stop Shop Centers for OFWs or ROSSCOs are hereby
institutionalized nationwide.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), as lead agency,
shall ensure that there is at least one existing ROSSCO branch per region in the


country. In choosing the location of a ROSSCO, the POEA, in coordination with
participating agencies, shall consider existing government centers or hubs or places
such as malls where there is a high volume of foot-traffic. In addition, the POEA, in
coordination with participating agencies, shall also determine the standard space
requirements for ROSSCOs.

Every ROSSCO shall give utmost consideration to the needs of existing and
future OFWs and shall ensure that the services of each participating agency are
delivered efficiently. Every ROSSCO may also accommodate the concerns of other
individuals, including the family and relatives of OFWs, but only after applications
and concerns of OFWs have already been processed or addressed.

To ensure that all needs are addressed, the POEA, as lead agency, may enter
into agreements with concessionaires to provide other services such as digital ID
printing, photocopy services, courier services, internet and printing services,
telephone, prepaid load, cash and online payment services, notarial services, etc. for
a uniform and reasonable fee, subject to existing laws and regulations.

In no instance shall fixers be allowed within the premises of ROSSCOs or
within considerable distance from the same.

Sec. 4. Complete ROSSCO Frontliners. Every national government agency,
department, office and government-owned and controlled corporations, concerned
with the issuance of necessary clearances, permits, identification cards and related
documents needed by OFWs, shall be part of ROSSCO in each region and shall
provide manpower component, equipment, technology and systems necessary to
address the needs of existing and future OFWs.

The following agencies shalll provide frontline services in every ROSSCO:

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)

Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)
Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)

Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)

Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF)

Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth)
Social Security System (SSS)

Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)

Bureau of Immigration (BI)

National Bureau Investigation (NBI)

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Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA)
Philippine National Police (PNP), and

Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

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Every agency involved in the ROSSCO shall also ensure that their staff,
including outsourced personnel such as security guards, shall be courteous at all
times, accommodating to the needs of walk-in clients and those inquiring or applying
online or through phone, and skilled enough to handle various queries and concerns
of existing and future OFWs or their families, especially those with urgent needs or in
crisis situations.

The POEA is hereby authorized to call the assistance of any government
office not included in the enumeration above to provide frontline services temporarily
or permanently to the extent that such agency is needed in a particular ROSSCO or
in every branch nationwide. Such agency called by POEA to participate shall not
refuse to provide frontline services in ROSSCOs.

Nothing in this Act prohibits the participating agencies to enter into
agreements with other government agencies or the private sector, to outsource their
services or to train and designate staff that will handle or provide multiple services;
Provided, That the responsibility and liability of the designated staff shall be deemed
as responsibility and liability of the agency mandated under the law; Provided further,
That the efficient delivery of services shall not be hampered at all times; and
Provided finally, That there will be no additional cost to the requesting OFW except
the actual regulation fee or the true cost of the document requested.

Sec. 5. Establishment of ROSSCOs vis-a-vis Concentration of OFWs.
The POEA, in coordination with concerned agencies, may require additional
personnel from participating agencies or may establish more than one ROSSCO or a
satellite office with lesser number of agencies, based on the following considerations
per available data:

a) Large concentration of OFWs coming from a particular region, province or
major city/municipality; and/or

b) Large number of clients being served by a particular ROSSCO.

Sec. 6. Streamlining and Digitization of ROSSCO Process. In line with the
mandate to provide ease in doing business, the process of each participating agency
shall be streamlined with the end view of removing unnecessary and redundant
steps and requirements and integrating the process and requirements of one agency


with the others. The integrated process and requirements of each agency shall be
communicated well and in advance to OFWs and other clients.

The ROSSCO Process shall also be digitized. The POEA, with the assistance
of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), shall
develop a ROSSCO website where existing OFWs, even those abroad, and other
aspiring OFWs can inquire or engage the services of participating agencies online.

Filling out of forms shall also be digitized. Every client shall be assigned one
reference number for all services and transactions he or she wants to avail. The
POEA shall ensure that there is a common database in every ROSSCO in order to
prevent unnecessary or redundant filling out of application forms.

Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The POEA, in coordination
with concerned agencies especially those that are part of the ROSSCO as
institutionalized in this Act, shall formulate the implementing rules and regulations,
including the list of services to be provided by each participating agency, within
ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act.

Sec. 8. Appropriation. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of
this Act on the first year of its implementation shall be appropriated out of existing
funds for the establishment or operationalization of ROSSCOs nationwide and of any
other funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated.

Thereafter, the amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be
included in the respective budgets of the ROSSCO agencies under the annual
General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 9. Separability Clause. If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and
subsisting.

Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary
to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or
amended accordingly.

Sec. 11. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of general circulation
in the Philippines.

Approved,