Heroes Hall, Malacañan Palace
July 21, 2023

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. lauded the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) for its initiative in digitizing one of its key services to benefit overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as he led the Pilot Test Run of the DMW Mobile App and OFW Pass at the Heroes Hall in Malacañan Palace.

“It is indeed consistent with our thrust towards government digitalization so that our government can achieve greater efficiency, greater collaboration and enhanced accessibility for all,” he stated. He added that the innovative mobile app revolutionizes the OFWs’ access to government services — a directive he issued during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2022.

“Gone are the days when OFWs had to endure long queues to obtain this certification…Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Department of Migrant Workers, the Bureau of Immigration and the DICT, entering and exiting Philippine borders will become more efficient than ever,” said President Marcos Jr.

According to DMW Secretary Susan ‘Toots’ Ople, OFWs have endured long queues to acquire their OECs for 31 years, especially during its peak season in November. Last year, 133,000 OECs were issued and an estimated 73,000 OECs have been issued just in the month of January this year.

Secretary Ople added that the pilot test for the OFW Pass has been initiated in 10 countries with the highest number of OFWs: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Oman, Taiwan, United Kingdom and Japan. She also mentioned that the OEC will be maintained for at least two (2) months and will be subject to evaluation and assessment until its transition is fully completed.

Meanwhile, Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco announced that the BI will integrate the OFW Pass into the e-Travel App to establish a green lane for OFWs in the immigration area. He assured that OFWs just need to present their Pass to be cleared in the immigration area.

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