Traveling outside the country as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW)? The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration will require you to take a pre-departure orientation seminar (PDOS). PDOS serves as a ‘primer’ for Filipinos set to work in a foreign country, Welfare Officer Eric Paruñgao of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), told GMA News Online on Friday. “PDOS provides critical information regarding overseas employment so the OFWs know what to expect [in their foreign destination]. Para pagdating nila sa bansa, may alam na sila,” the welfare officer said. “If you have a work visa on your passport and you are registered with POEA then you have to take PDOS,” he said adding that Filipinos migrating to other countries are also required to undergo the two-hour seminar. Tourists, on the other hand, need not to undergo the orientation seminar, he said. Paruñgao explained that the seminar teaches OFWS basic things such as:
- boarding a plane,
- how men and women should conduct themselves, and
- the religious policies of specific countries.
Aside from do’s and don’ts, PDOS teaches the workers about the possible consequences of their actions or inactions, he said. He explained that even experienced OFWs have to attend the seminar because the PDOS is a "constantly evolving program." “The seminar is different for each country-destination,” he said. The goal of PDOS was to set the mindframe of the OFWs “from being dependent on somebody for help" to being enabled workers who can "proactively access information before they need it,” he explained.
Fees, process While the PDOS is free, the OWWA membership costs $25 or its equivalent. OWWA conducts PDOS three times a day. OFWs should call the OWWA hotline at 891-7601 to know the availability of the seminar specific to their country of destination. The country-specific orientation is on a first come first served basis. OFWs directly hired by foreign companies may opt to have their seminars conducted by OWWA itself or choose to over 291 OWWA-accredited PDOS providers across the country. Although, PDOS can be conducted by different organizations, it still follows the module that OWWA designed for a specific country, Paruñgao added. The venue of the OWWA-conducted PDOS is at the 5th floor, OWWA Building, 7th St., F.B. Harrison, Pasay City. The venue can accommodate 60 to 100 persons per session.
PDOS was previously conducted by POEA. However, this authority has been transferred to OWWA recently.
POEA still conducts PDOS but with the accreditation of OWWA only. At the POEA office, the seminar is conducted at 2nd floor, POEA Building, EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue, Mandaluyong City. Meanwhile, Paruñgao pointed out that the seminars for Filipino emigrants are conducted by the
Commission on Filipino Overseas.
'Great deal of risk' Paruñgao said: “Working overseas poses a great deal of risk. You are there at their [foreign country’s] behest." Paruñgao advised: “If an emergency arises, they (OFWs) should be able to know whom to call. We advise them to run to the nearest embassy or consulate which has Filipino officers at post.” Through PDOS, overseas workers would be able to make “informed decisions,” Paruñgao claimed. Aside from PDOS, OFWs may opt to study or research about their destination country. There is no shortage of information as far as foreign destinations are concerned. There are nongovernmental organizations which provide information to OFWs. There are also the government websites of their foreign destination. “And, nowadays, everything is mostly online, which is freely accessible to all,” he noted. If an OFW travels from one work destination to another (ie. from Hong Kong to Singapore) without stopping by the Philippines, he or she may undergo a post-arrival orientation provided by the Philippine embassy in their new destination, Paruñgao said. “It is similar to a PDOS, however it is purely voluntary,” he said. For more information about PDOS, you may visit
http://www.owwa.gov.ph.
- VVP, GMA News