OFW one-stop service center launched here

THE Department of Labor and Employment 11 (Dole 11) officially opened the first One-Stop Service Center for Overseas Foreign Workers in the city (OSSCO-Davao) yesterday, August 11, at the fifth floor of Gaisano Mall of Davao.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony of OSSCODavao was graced by Dole Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III, Representative Mylene J. Garcia and 16 regional directors and representatives of OSSCO agencies.

Bello said OSSCO-Davao, co-managed by Dole 11, is the 14th OFW service center in the country in pursuant to the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to house all key government agencies in one service center to help OFWs save money and time in securing all needed documents and requirements before they could work overseas or upon their return to their families in the country.

Bello said this must not be construed that the government is promoting labor migration but OSSCA is just among the ways by which the government can pay back OFWs' heroism and recognition of their contribution in our country and their families.

Gaisano Mall of Davao president James Gaisano agreed to waive all the other operating cost of the service center such as monthly rental fee, common use of service areas, the purchase and installation of new air conditioning unit, desks and chairs, and other more amenities except electricity charges.

"I reserved this space on the fifth floor for OSSCO because we want to help and recognize our OFWs needs as they inspire almost all of us," Gaisano said.

OSSCO agencies include Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (Poea), Department of Foreigh Affairs (DFA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), Philppine Health Insurance Corporation (Phic), Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Bureau of Immigration (BI), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Commission on Higher Education (Ched), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

All regional directors of participating OSSCO agencies signed the Memorandum of Undertaking, in which they are all required to make available to OFWs the needed information as to the agency's programs and services and respond to their queries, and to also eliminate unnecessary and duplicative documents for overseas deployment.

Bello said President Duterte repeatedly expressed his desire to bring home all OFWs back to the country, thus, the President assured that there will be enough decent and sustainable jobs for every Filipino in due time.

"While there are Filipino workers and families sacrificing and contributing to the national economy, the government will assist them and provide the best service we can ever extend," he said.

OSSCA-Davao is located at the fifth floor of Gaisano Mall of Davao and will operate from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m..