OFW ID Finally Available For The Public

Recently, the Department of Labor and Employment formally announced the release of OFW ID to the public. OFW ID is expected to replace the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), also known as BalikMangagawa Certificate.

Ideally, the OFW ID is set to prove that the migrant worker is legally employed abroad as certified by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

Some of the benefits of the OFW ID includes a quick pass to the Philippine Immigration gates even without Exit Clearance, no more OEC, universal ID for Filipino workers all over the world, quick transaction to Social Security System (SSS), Pag-IBIG Fund and Philhealth, can be used as identification card for purposes like acquiring clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), travel tax exemptions, no more terminal fees, and can be used as ATM card for the OFW Bank.

The iDOLE ID will enable OFWs to have online access to agencies needed for their employment. It also links the databases of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

With consolidated data, the iDOLE card also provides an efficient and more complete Labor Market Information System (LMIS).

Furthermore, OFWs will also have an easier time processing their documents with government agencies like Pag-IBIG and Social Security System (SSS).

Just recently, Facebook user Rich Esquerra posted a happy news to all OFWs. He was able to get his OFW ID without much hassle.

Also, according to him, you need to have a valid email address before you go through the process of acquiring your OFW ID.

Here are the steps that Esguerra had gone through:

1. Go to the IDOLE Website 
2. Type in your OEC number
3. You will be redirected to a form that you need to completely fill out
4. Upload your photo with white background
5. Upload your signature. You can do this by signing in a white paper, take a picture of it and upload in the system.

The OFW ID will take a week to be released. You will receive an email when you can claim it that is why it is required to have an active email account where you can check the date of release of your OFW ID card. You can check if your name is already on the list of available OFW ID cards here.

The cost of it would not exceed a thousand pesos. Overseas Filipino Workers should not worry about it’s fee because it will be charged to foreign employers. This was mentioned by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III during the soft launch of the product last July 2017. HOW WILL THE GOVERNMENT MAKE SURE THAT AN OFW WILL NOT PAY FOR THE CARD?
Labor Secretary Bello said “This is matter and agreement between Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) and foreign employers. This is also President Rodrigo Duterte’s gift to our OFWs. No overseas Filipino worker should pay for the card”

READ MORE FROM OUR WEBSITE: How To Apply for an OFW ID Card