One-Stop Service Center for OFWs

2019

This is an Entry to the Government Best Practice Recognition Awards

Title

One-Stop Service Center for OFWs

Organization

Philippine Overseas Employment Administration

Best practice Focus Area(s)

Leadership, Customer and citizen focus, Process management and improvement

Summary

The 20 One-Stop Service Centers for OFWs (OSSCOs) brought together all government agencies in one location and made frontline services accessible to Filipinos who are currently working or planning to work overseas.

The OSSCO at the POEA main office houses 16 participating agencies – 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-Pag-IBIG), 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). The OSSCO was initially launched in August 2016 through the initiative of the POEA.

Background and Problem

The OSSCO aims to reduce transportation expenses of OFWs since the services of concerned government agencies can be availed of  in just one location, and shorten the processing time of their documents. Before the establishment of the OSSCO, Filipinos intending to work abroad had to go to different government offices to process their requirements.

This is also in response to President Duterte’s directive to “Secure the rights and welfare of our OFWs… [and] ensure that their rights are protected,” and to make it easier for OFWs to avail services from the government.

Solution and Impact

To address the problem, a Memorandum of Undertaking was entered into by the DOLE, DFA, POEA, OWWA, TESDA, PRC, MARINA, HDMF/Pag-IBIG, PhilHealth, SSS, PSA, BI, NBI, CHED, TIEZA, BIR and PNP to establish the OSSCO, where the said agencies engaged in the promotion of interests and well-being of OFWs. All participating agencies assigned their respective personnel to deliver the necessary services based on their mandate. Several physical spaces to house the OSSCOs were established across regions.

The OSSCO brings together all relevant government agencies to ensure that all requirements needed by the public, especially OFWs, are housed in one location for their convenience and ease of transaction.

With the establishment of OSSCOs, various services needed by Filipinos intending to work abroad are provided to attain the outcome of reducing transportation costs and streamlining service delivery to respond to people’s needs.

Milestones

From September 2016 to September 2019, a total of 5.093 million OFWs have been served by the OSSCOs nationwide.

Services being offered to clients include passport and consular services; documentation for Balik-Manggagawa; the processing of OWWA membership/renewal as well as an application for educational, training and welfare assistance; training and scholarship assistance including competency assessment; issuance and renewal of professional license ID; issuance/revalidation of Seaman’s Book; processing/updating of membership to Pag-IBIG, SSS and PhilHealth including loans, claims, and contribution payments; processing and issuance of certificates (birth, marriage, death, CENOMAR), NBI clearance, TIN, departure clearance and certification, authentication and verification of school documents.