Gov’t lifts OEC suspension for new applicants



The suspension in the processing of Overseas Employment Certificates (OEC) for new applicants has been lifted, 15 working days after it was implemented as an anti-corruption measure by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The suspension was in effect from November 13 to December 1, putting on hold the departure of an estimated 75,000 would-be OFWs.
A report by GMA News' Tina Panganiban-Perez on 24 Oras on Thursday said the processing of OEC resumed on December 4. In just two days, more than 1,400 applications were processed.
The application of Salvacion dela Cruz, who is set to work as a production manager in a garment factory in Myanmar, was one of those affected by the postponement.
"Pumunta ako kay Secretary Silvestre Bello. Sabi niya sa akin may mga illegal recruiters daw na ang ano 'yung mga direct hire. So paiimbestigahan daw niya. Ang sabi niya sa akin, bumalik ako after three weeks," Dela Cruz said.
"Masaya na po. At least hindi na po naabutan ng expiry date 'yung visa ko. Tsaka kailangan na po kasi ako ng employer," she added.
Excluded from the suspension are those hired by international organizations, diplomatic corps, sea-based recruitment agencies, balik-manggagawa or workers on leave, and those whose OECs have already been signed or are in Labor Undersecretary Bernard Olalia and Bello's office.
"Sa mga agency-hired workers natin who are seeking for work, it will be the agency who will process your deployment papers. 'Yung mga direct hires po natin, this involves 'yung mga professional and highly-skilled na directly na nagapply abroad, sila po talaga ang magpa-process nung kanilang deployment papers," Olalia said in the 24 Oras report.
Olalia, meanwhile, said investigation is still ongoing on the alleged illegal recruitment within the POEA. "'Yung ating reshuffle and revamp is still ongoing. 'Yung mga persons involved were removed from those positions and were transferred to less significant positions," he said. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News

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