Simplifying the documents for overseas Filipino workers.
During an event in Pasay City last September 29, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac reaffirmed the government’s commitment to making systems faster, more efficient, and compassionate for OFWs.
As part of this, the agency has been actively engaging in the digitalization of its services, with Cacdac citing the launch of DMW’s e-Services in San Juan City as key milestone.
He also bared a major innovation currently being pilot-tested, which is the incorporation of the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) and the e-Travel Pass, aimed at streamlining departure requirements for OFWs.
“Right now, we’re piloting the merger of the OEC and the e-Travel Pass. The e-Travel Pass will serve as the primary departure document,” noted the Secretary.
He also said that the DMW is currently in talks with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to make the e-Travel Pass as the final outcome document, which would make OEC cease as a separate document.
Sec. Cacdac clarified, “Pero hindi ibig sabihin na mawawala ang documentation requirements ng DMW. You will still need to register your workers through the DMW app. Once cleared and processed, doon pa lang kayo magkakaroon ng access sa e-Travel Pass.”
This means that while the approval process remains on the department’s back end, the final document to be presented at departure will now be the e-Travel Pass.
“Mas simple, mas mabilis, pero may safeguards pa rin,” he added.
According to the DMW, over 80,000 OFWs have successfully transitioned to the new system under the pilot run.