NEWS RELEASE

2 November 2015

POEA urges OFWs and other clients to have their OECs/documents processed ahead of the APEC Meeting

Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac yesterday called on OFWs and  its other clients  to make necessary adjustments in their transactions with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration as Manila hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders Meeting on November 18-19, 2015.  

“With the expected effect of the APEC week on commercial flights in all NAIA terminals and on vehicular traffic flow in EDSA and other parts of Metro Manila, all concerned are therefore advised to make the necessary changes in their schedule,” Cacdac said.

The Office of the President has declared November 17-20 as Special (Non-Working) Days for all government offices in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The APEC Organizing Council has announced that the arrival and departure of regular commercial flights in all NAIA Terminals on November 16-20 will be affected.

Vehicular traffic in EDSA, where the POEA main office is located, may also be affected as two of its inner lanes will be used as APEC lanes during the duration of the meetings.

Cacdac said the main office of Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) in Ortigas and other processing centers in Metro Manila (Duty Free Phils Parañaque, SM Manila and Trinoma QC)  will open on November 16 to 20 but with limited transactions during the declared non-working days.
 

“Our main office in Ortigas will open for all transactions on November 16 (Monday),  but on November 17 to 20 (Tuesday to Friday}, our services will be limited to the  processing of  overseas employment certificates (OEC) of  balik-manggagawa or vacationing workers and new hires only,” Cacdac said.  

Cacdac advised overseas Filipino workers, recruitment agency representatives and other clients to come to the POEA office earlier than the declared holidays for the processing of exit clearance or overseas employment certificate, contracts, and other documents. 

Cacdac said licensed recruitment agencies should submit requests for processing of overseas employment certificate, employment contracts and other documents to the POEA at least two weeks before the APEC Summit.

“They are also encouraged to maximize the use of E-Submit/E-Payment System for the processing of documents of their workers. They may notify their respective principals or employers any anticipated delays in the deployment of OFWs for them to change the workers’ travel itinerary,” Cacdac added.

Overseas Filipino workers who are planning to return or have already booked their flights to the Philippines on November 18 or 19 are advised to coordinate with their respective airlines and/or recruitment agencies to avoid the inconvenience that may be caused by the travel restrictions during the APEC Meeting.

He also urged Balik-Manggagawa or vacationing workers to get their overseas employment certificates (OEC) through the BM Online Processing or Appointment System.

As a large number of returning OFWs is expected to troop to the POEA and other BM processing centers for their OECs after the weeklong work disruption, those who are not leaving for their job sites immediately after the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting are advised avoid the long lines at the said offices on November 23.

Returning workers who are in the provinces may get their overseas employment certificates through appointment at the POEA Regional Centers and satellite offices which are open on November 17 to 20, 2015.    /END

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