Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

6147
House Bill No.

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ
SS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Bill is intended to provide for the Overseas Filipino Workers
comprehensive Pre-Departure Orientation Seminars (PDOS) to all
departing overseas workers. Included in the curriculum are subject
matters that are of significant importance which shall be beneficial
to the OFWs. Some of the subject matters are basic language course
of destination countries, issues on human rights and drug
trafficking, occupational safety and benefits, and more. Given that
the OFWs are faced with much challenges as they are employed ina
different country which is not their home, through the PDOS, OF Ws
are provided with vital and critical information which will help their
overall well-being while being away from home. As such, the passage

of this Bill is earnestly sought.

enw COW,

ERIC OLIVAREZ


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

6147
House Bill No.

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ

AN ACT STRENGTHENING FURTHER THE PRE-DEPARTURE
ORIENTATION PROGRAM FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS
TO INCLUDE FINANCIAL AND ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION,

AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8042, AS
AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MIGRANT WORKERS
AND OVERSEAS FILIPINOS ACT OF 1995

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

SECTION 1. A new paragraph shall be added after the second
paragraph of Sub-paragraph b.1, Section 23 of Republic Act No.
8042, as amended, to read as follows:

“Section 23. Role of Government Agencies. -x x x
(at) xxx
(b) x.x.x
(b.1) Philippine Overseas Employment Administration
- The Administration shall regulate private sector
participation in the recruitment and overseas
placement of workers by setting up a licensing and


registration system. It shall also formulate and
implement, in coordination with appropriate entities
concerned, when necessary, a system of promoting
and monitoring the overseas employment of Filipino
workers taking into consideration their welfare and
the domestic manpower requirements. It shall be
responsible for the regulation and management of
overseas employment from the employment stage,
securing the best possible employment terms and
conditions for overseas Filipino workers, taking into
consideration the needs of vulnerable sectors and the
peculiarities of sea-based and land-based workers. In
appropriate cases, the administration shall allow the
lifting of suspension of erring recruitment /manning
agencies upon the payment of fine of fifty thousand
pesos ({50,000.00) for every month of suspension.

In addition to its powers and functions, the
administration shall inform migrant workers not only
of their rights as workers but also of their rights as
human beings, instruct and guide the workers how
to assert their rights and provide the available
mechanism to redress violation of their rights. IT
shall also be responsible for the implementation, in
partnership with other law-enforcement agencies, of
an intensified program against illegal recruitment
activities. For this purpose, the POEA shall provide
comprehensive Pre-Employment Orientation
Seminars (PEOS) that will discuss topics such as
prevention of illegal recruitment and gender-
sensitivity.

“THE ADMINISTARTION SHALL ALSO CONDUCT
FREE COMPREHENSIVE PRE-DEPARTURE
ORIENTATION SEMINARS __(PDOS) TO ALL



OVERSEAS WORKERS, IN COORDINATION WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
(DOLE), THE OVERSEAS WORKERS WELFARE
ADMINISTRATION (OWWA), THE DEPARTMENT OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS (DFA), THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH (DOH), THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL
WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT (DSWD), THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE (DOF) AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY (DTD,
WITH THE FOLLOWING CURRICULUM:

1) TERMS OF DEPLOYMENT AND EMPLOYMENT
CONTRACTS INCLUDING _ RIGHTS _AND
OBLIGATIONS OF MIGRANTS AND THEIR
EMPLOYERS;

2) CRIMINAL AND LABOR LAWS AND
REGULATIONS OF DESTINATION COUNTRIES;

3) FINANCIAL AND ENTREPRENEURIAL
EDUCATION;

4) ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE PROCEDURES FOR
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN AND DESTINATION
COUNTRIES;

5) ROLE OF PHILIPPINE DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS
AND PROCEDURES ON HOW TO ACCESS
ASSISTANCEL

6) BASIC LANGUAGE COURSE OF DESTINATION
COUNTRIES;

7) ISSUES ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND DRUG
TRAFFICKING;

8) CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS AWARENESS OF
DESTINATION COUNTRIES;

9) PROCEDURE FOR FILING INSURANCE CLAIMS;

10) BANKING AND REMITTANCE CHANNELS;

11) SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS;



12) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
ISSUES;

13) HUMAN RIGHTS AND GENDER SENSITIVITY;

14) MENTAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES;

15) REINTEGRATION FOR RETURNING AND
DEPORTED OFWS; AND

16) FAMILY VALUES

PROVIDED, THAT AN OFW, WHOSE CONTRACT

WAS RENEWED, OR WAS RE-HIRED IN THE SAME

COUNTRY SHALL NO LONGER BE REQUIRED TO

ATTEND THE SEMINAR UNLESS A NEW

CURRICULUM IS INTRODUCED FOR WHICH THE

SAID OFW SHALL ATTEND THE NEW COURSE:

PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT THE SEMINAL

SHALL BE CONDUCTED BY PROFESSIONS AND

ACCREDITED INSTRUCTORS FOR SPECIFIC

OCCUPATIONS, _ EXPERIENCE AND

DESTINATIONS.”

x x x

SECTION 2. The POEA, in coordination woith the DOLE,
OWWA, DFA, DOH, DSWD, DOF and the DTI, shall, within ninety
(90) days after approval of this Act, issue the necessary rules and
regulations for its effective implementation.

SECTION 3. Should any provision herein be declared
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected shall remain in
full force and effect.

SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. - All laws, orders, issuances,
rules and regulations or part thereof inconsistent with the provisions
of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.


SECTION 5. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after its publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of
general circulation.

Approved,