Baldoz to returning OFWs: Register, avail of free ‘Assist W.E.L.L.’ services in any of 24 processing centers




Returning and repatriated Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) can now conveniently avail of a free and more accessible welfare, employment, legal and livelihood assistance, or ‘W.E.L.L.’, as the Department of Labor and Employment’s Assist W.E.L.L. Processing Centers have been extensively set up in different regions across the country and in four countries in Asia.

 
Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said this yesterday as she expressed optimism over the setting up of 24 Assist W.E.L.L. Processing Centers housed in three DOLE attached agencies in National Capital Region, 17 DOLE regional offices and in four Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) that operates during both emergency and normal situations.

 
“The Center in the regions are managed by designated technical and administrative personnel of each Regional Coordinating Council (RCCs) member agencies composed of DOLE Regional Office, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration Regional Office, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Regional Office, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Regional Office, National Reintegration Center for OFWs Regional Office and other RCC members, as may be necessary,” said Baldoz.

 
Returning OFWs may avail the free services offered in the following established Assist W.E.L.L. Processing Centers:

 
POEA–4th Floor, PST Hall, Blas F. Ople Bldg., Ortigas Avenue corner Edsa, Mandaluyong City.  Tel. No.: (02) 722-1189 Email: assistwell@mancomsec@gmail.com; OWWA – Ground Floor, Room 101, OWWA Center, 7th St. corner F.B. Harrison St., Pasay City. Tel. No.: (02) 891-7601; Email: owwa_opcenter247@yahoo.com; NRCO– Ground Floor, Blas F. Ople Development Center corner Solana and Victoria Sts., Intramuros, Manila. Tel. No.: (02) 527-6184 Email:nrcoreintegration@gmail.com

 
Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) – Cabinet Hill, Baguio City.Tel.No.: (074) 443-5338 Email: car.nrco@gmail.com; Region I – POEA Regional Center for La Union 3rd and 4th Floors, Shania Tower, Quezon Avenue, San Fernando, La Union. Tel. No.: (072) 242-5608 Email: assistwell.ro1@gmail.com; Region II– Turingan Bldg., Caritan Centro, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. Tel. No.: (078) 844-6265 Email: ro2.nrco@gmail.com; Region III –SWLC Bldg., Diosdado Macapagal Regional Government Center, Brgy. Maimpis, San Fernando, Pampanga. Tel. No.: (045) 455-1617 Email: ro3.nrco@gmail.com/ tssd2.dolero3@gmail.com; Region IV-A – 3rd Floor, OWWA Regional Office, Hectan Bldg., Halang, Calamba, Laguna. Tel. No.: (049) 545-7357 Email: poea_calamba@yahoo.com; Region IV-B – 3rd Floor, CONFIL Bldg., Roxas Drive corner Sampaguita St., Bgy. Lumangbayan, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro Cel. No.: (0921-7975647) Email: ro4b.nrco@gmail.com; Region V–Doña Aurora St., Old Albay, Legazpi City. Tel. No.: (052) 480-0984 Email: ro5.nrco@gmail.com

 
Region VI-Iloilo – Swan Rose Bldg., Commission Civil St., Jaro, Iloilo City. Tel. No.: (033) 503-4610 Email: ro6.nrco@gmail.com; Region VI–Bacolod – Sugar workers Development Center, Cottage Road, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. Cel. No.: 0908-4459238 Email: ro6.nrco@gmail.com; Region VII–2nd Floor, Gorordo Avenue corner General Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City. Tel. No.: (032) 254-3199 Email: owwa.region7@gmail.com/owwa.region7@yahoo.com; Region VIII –Tacloban– Trece Martires St., Tacloban City. Tel. No.: (053) 321-3308 Email: ro8.nrco@gmail.com; Region VIII –Northern Samar – Jacinto 3, Brgy. Ipil-ipil, Catarman, Northern Samar. Tel. No.: (055) 500-9722 Email: dolero8_nsso@yahoo.com

 
Region IX – OWWA Regional Office, 3rd Floor, Goodwill Center, Mayor Jaldon St., Canelar, Zamboanga City. Tel. No.: (062) 991-2785 Email: dole9record@yahoo.com/ro9.nrco@gmail.com; Region X – Ground Floor, Monte Carlo Bldg., RER Phase I, Kauswagan National Highway, Cagayan de Oro City. Tel. No.: (088) 857-2583 Email: ro10.nrco@gmail.com; Region XI – 4TH Floor, AMQ Bldg., Dacudao Avenue corner Lakandula St., Agdao, Davao City. Tel. No.: (082) 226-2671 Email: dole11regionaloffice@gmail.com/ro11.nrco@gmail.com;Region XII – 102 Acepal Bldg., Mabini Extension, Koronadal City. Tel. No.: (083) 520-0545 Email: ro12.nrco@gmail.com; Region XIII –CARAGA –Nimfa Tiu Bldg., J.P. Rosales Avenue, Butuan City. Tel. No.: (085) 815-0468 Email: dolecaraga13@gmail.com/ro13.nrco@gmail.com

 
POLO Dubai – Villa No.2 Beirut Street No.35-A Al Qusais 3, P.O. Box 4960, Dubai UAE. Tel. No.: (9714) 220-7011; POLO Abu Dhabi – Villa No. 32, Al Dhafra St., Corner 8th Street, Mushriff Area, Abu Dhabi, UAE P.O. Box 3215; POLO Kuala Lumpur – No. 1 Changkat Kia Peng, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 50450. Tel. No.: (603) 2148-4233/Fax: (603) 2143-3051; POLO Seoul – No. 5-1 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Tel. No.: (822) 3785-3634/35/Fax: (822) 3785-3624

 
“The setting up of these Centers is part of the strengthened convergence of DOLE agencies to ensure a more synchronized and systematic delivery of free assistance to returning OFW clients in a more accessible and convenient location,” said Baldoz.

 
“The Assist W.E.L.L. Processing Center is led by a management committee composed of heads of the POEA, OWWA, TESDA, NRCO, Bureau of Local Employment , Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns, International Labor Affairs Bureau and DOLE Regional Directors, as members,” she added.

 
At the National Capital Region, the Processing Centers are stationed in the main offices of POEA, OWWA and NRCO.

 
“The Centers are managed by designated regional and attached agencies personnel. However, deployment of more personnel shall be done should there be mass repatriation of OFWs,” said Baldoz.

 
“In case of an emergency or crisis, a composite team will be added composed of designated representatives of TESDA, BLE, BWSC, ILAB, DOLE Planning Service and DOLE National Capital Region to provide technical and administrative support,” she added.

Meanwhile, other Assist W.E.L.L. Processing Centers are housed at each of the DOLE Regional Offices and are overseen by the DOLE Regional Directors.

 
As for POLOs, its respective Labor Attachés and Administrative Staffs have been manning the program using the e-Assist W.E.L.L. database to monitor and coordinate with DOLE-attached agencies and other offices on the applications filed by the OFWs concerning assistance they need.

 
Among the free services that returning and repatriated OFWs may avail of are airport assistance; temporary shelter and accommodation; transport assistance to residence; emergency medical assistance; and stress debriefing/counselling by OWWA; local employment referral or placement by BLE, PESOs and DOLE Regional Offices; overseas employment referral or placement by POEA and its Regional Centers and Extension Offices, and PESOs; livelihood assistance by OWWA and NRCO; legal assistance and conciliation services; preparation and filing of complaints; and counselling during preliminary investigation and hearings by POEA, DOLE Regional Offices, RCCs, NLRC and NCMB; kabuhayan formation and enhancement; and community enterprise by BWSC and DOLE Regional Offices; and competency assistance and certification by TESDA.

 
The ‘Assist W.E.L.L.’, stands for ‘Welfare, Employment, Legal and Livelihood”, which is a package of government reintegration assistance and services adopted for implementation by DOLE concerned agencies by virtue of the Department Order No. 139-14 s.2014, to address the needs of migrant workers who have returned or were repatriated due to crisis or emergency situations.

 
To further implement its provisions, A.O. 21-16 s. 2016 was then issued early this year mandating the setting up of an Assist W.E.L.L. Processing Center in DOLE offices and agencies to ensure a more systematic and comprehensive delivery of assistance to intended OFW clients.

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