MANILA, Feb. 12 — Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz recently announced the setting up of a more cohesive and synchronized ‘Assist WELL’ Processing Centers in three Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) agencies and 17 regional offices in the country.
The centers will provide an improved and comprehensive welfare, employment, legal, and livelihood (WELL) assistance to returning overseas Filipino workers.
“The Assist Well Processing Center is led by a management committee that oversees and ensures a well-coordinated and systematic delivery of assistance to returning or repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers. It operates during both emergency and normal times,” Baldoz said.
An added improvement in the delivery of Assist WELL program is the structuring of database for returning OFWs from the Middle East Region. The database shall serve as a record of the returning OFWs to speed up the processing of the assistance or services that they may choose or avail of.
The free services offered by the Center are stress debriefing or counselling by OWWA; local employment referral or job placement by DOLE Bureau of Local Employment; overseas employment referral or placement by POEA and its regional centers or extension offices; livelihood assistance by OWWA and NRCO; legal assistance or conciliation services by the POEA, DOLE regional offices, and the Regional Coordinating Councils; and competency assessment and training assistance by TESDA.
At the National Capital Region, three Assist Well Processing Centers are established in the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO).
To fully serve the needs of OFWs, the Center ensures, through a systematic procedure, that the OFWs’ needs are quickly assessed and ushered in to a particular service they need.
Secretary Baldoz said that the Center will strictly monitor the progress of the delivery of assistance sought by the OFWs. “In case of job referral, the Center’s staff will monitor the progress of the OFWs’ placement until they are deployed to their new jobs. The legal assistance will also be checked, ensuring that the complaints or cases filed are efficiently handled until its disposition. The progress of all other services will be also monitored,” Baldoz assured.
‘Assist WELL’, which stands for ‘Welfare, Employment, Legal, and Livelihood’ is a reintegration assistance/services program formed by Secretary Baldoz in 2014 through Department Order 139-14 to address the needs of repatriated migrant workers.
Baldoz said the program holistically looks into the OFWs’ reintegration needs after their repatriation, especially due to emergency or crisis situations. She also assured that that the government stands ready at all times to assist all the OFWs, especially during emergencies.
The strengthened convergence of DOLE agencies delivering the Assist WELL program is mandated by Administrative Order No. 21 series of 2016 issued by Secretary Baldoz early in January this year. (DOLE)
For the full list of Assist WELL Processing Centers, visit http://www.dole.gov.ph/news/view/3054
