Consular Mission to Macau SAR and Post Arrival Orientation Seminar for OFWs

06 February 2007

The Philippine Consulate conducted its monthly Consular mission to Macau SAR on 02-03 February 2007. The team, headed by Vice Consul Noel M. Novicio, included seven Consulate personnel, one OWWA representative, two SSS-Hong Kong representatives and one Pag-ibig Overseas (Hong Kong) representative. The Philippine Labor Extension Office (PLEO)-Macau, headed by Labor Attaché Carlos Sta. Ana, provided administrative support to the team.

The monthly Consular mission to Macau SAR is an outreach program of the Consulate and attached agencies designed to provide consular assistance and services to the Filipino community and to give information about the various programs and services offered by the Consulate and attached agencies.

In the course of the two-day Consular mission, the following consular-related documents and services were issued/provided:

The Consular team also conducted a Post Arrival Orientation Seminar (PAOS) for OFWs on 03 Feb., the first to be held in Macau SAR. Speakers for the seminar, which was hosted by the Free Believers in Christ International Fellowship, Macau Chapter, were: Vice Consul Novicio, Ms. Antoinette Villa (Legal), Mr. Edwin Garcia (OWWA) and Mr. Roberto Roldan (SSS). It was attended by 61 OFWs.

PAOS is an outreach program of the Consulate and its attached agencies designed to provide information to OFWs about their rights, privileges and responsibilities while working and staying in Macau, and about the various programs and services offered by the Consulate and its attached agencies.

In the course of the seminar, the following topics/issues were discussed/explained:

1. Consulate’s ATN, consular and notarial services;

2. Integrity of travel document;

3. Macau visa policies for tourists and workers;

4. The clerical error law (RA9048);

5. OWWA membership and benefits;

6. The new POEA policies concerning the deployment of household service helpers; and

7. The SSS flexi-fund program and new contribution scheme.

Also with the latest resolution, only newly-hired HSWs are required to undergo TESDA's competency assessment and the language and culture training from OWWA. Special rules shall be issued on the implementation of the reform package to OFWs returning to overseas employment after completion of their contracts.

Participants sought clarification on issues related to clerical errors on their passport, birth certificate and marriage certificate. They also asked how they can avail themselves of assistance from the Consulate General and PLEO-Macau in case of labor dispute with their employers. The OWWA representative stressed the importance of membership, explaining the many benefits given to an OWWA member, including scholarship and livelihood programs.

The participants also expressed interest in the issues discussed by the SSS representative, especially on how they can avail themselves of the benefits of the SSS flexi-fund program for OFWs.

These policy issuances are to be made effective on December 15, 2006 following their publication for 15 days in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines.