OFWs Distrust OWWA -- Survey

Report by By Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines -- Overseas Filipino workers view the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) with distrust and are largely uninformed about what the government agency is supposed to do for them, a survey by a migrant labor group shows.

The survey findings were released on Friday by the Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA) which conducted the poll over the Internet among 400 OFWs in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Canada, and Europe in both high-skilled and low-skilled job sectors.

The survey report, entitled "The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration: From the Eyes of Selected Overseas Filipinos," was supported by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung foundation.

Government estimates there are about 8 million Filipinos working abroad.

According to the survey, OFWs have conflicting perceptions about the agency’s functions, their membership, and their benefits.

“After more than 31 years of operations, a significant number of OFWs remain either unaware or misinformed about the role of OWWA,” CMA said in its summary.

“This proves OWWA’s failure to adequately inform its clients and maintain an effective communication line with them," the survey concluded.

A copy of the findings obtained by the Inquirer showed that 87 percent of the OFW respondents perceived OWWA as a membership organization. Around 59 percent said they were not aware that they could voluntarily apply for membership at their job sites.

A significant number of the respondents were also ignorant of how the OWWA board worked, the survey said. About 92 percent of the OFWs thought the OWWA board could alter the benefits and services to OFWs unilaterally.

About 85 percent knew that OWWA was administering a “trust fund.” About 48 percent knew that OWWA provided benefits such as life insurance, repatriation, loans, and disability pay to its members.

About 26 respondents or 7 percent, had availed of these benefits. Only 16 respondents said OWWA’s package fulfilled their needs.

“Of the 93 percent of OFWs who have not benefited from OWWA, most of them said it was not because they had no need for assistance but because they lacked information on the procedures to go about getting benefits.

"This suggests some room for improvement of OWWA’s programs to educate OFWs on the services they offer,” CMA said.

The report also noted that OFWs have negative perceptions about the OWWA.

“According to the most common survey testimonial, when an OFW applies for assistance, the OWWA administration either tells the OFW that the benefits are suspended or no longer available, or imposes such a confusing and demanding bureaucratic process that the OFW gives up,” CMA said in the survey report.

OWWA’s reputation has spread throughout the OFW community so that some OFWs in distress do not even bother to apply for OWWA assistance, it added.

Respondents also perceived OWWA to be a “cash cow” for government officials, the survey said. Because of this perception, some of the respondents were “ambivalent” about their membership in OWWA.

“They are just making money out of the people by collecting membership fees but they are not very helpful,” one respondent said.

“I tried to inquire about how to avail (of OWWA benefits) once, but the staff was so discouraging. They told me I needed to undergo a lot of processes...(but) it felt like they didn’t want me to,” said another OFW.

The following is a video depicting the typical life of an overseas Filipino and an overseas Filipino.