PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION

SEMINAR (PDOS) PROGRAM

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration

What is PDOS?

It is a major component of OWWA’s information and education program and an integral part of the over all program of government for the protection and welfare of OFWs.

It addresses the basic need of OFWs for orientation only and not to overload the OFW with too much information.

Focus is to enable OFWs cope with adjustment difficulties usually experienced within the first six months of work and stay at overseas jobsites.

What is PDOS?

The orientation seminars are country specific and in some cases, skill specific to provide OFWs with as much relevant and accurate information as possible to hasten their integration in their work environment.

The PDOS has expanded with the implementation of the Comprehensive Pre-Departure Education Programs (CPDEP) for Household Service Workers (HSWs) in 2007.

Historical Background The Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) was created in compliance with the following Memorandum Circulars (MCs) and Memorandum of Instructions (MOIs):

POEA MC No. 2, Series of 1992

Authorizing accredited NGOs to conduct PDOS for Disadvantaged Contract Workers

POEA MC No. 3, Series of 1983

Enabling policy that made PDOS a compulsory requirement for all departing OFWs.

Historical Background

POEA-OWWA Circular No. 01, Series of 2011

Transferring the PDOS for name-hired and government-placed workers from POEA to OWWA.

MOI No. 13, Series of 2003

Sets the Policies and Guidelines for Managing the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar

POEA-OWWA Circular No. 04, Series of 2002 and

Department Order No. 25-02 Series of 2002

Transferring the PDOS from POEA to OWWA.

THE ONE-DAY (1) PRE-DEPARTURE

ORIENTATION SEMINAR (PDOS)

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration

- Its primary objective is to provide OFWs with the means to cope with their new work environment especially during their first few months of working abroad.

The one-day PDOS is attended by all workers (all skills) prior to their deployment abroad.

Modules and Curriculum

The one-day PDOS includes the following modules:

• Cultural Insights and Code of Discipline of OFW

Working Overseas

• Rights and responsibilities of OFWs per contract, what to do in case of contract violations.

Employment Contract

Modules and Curriculum

• In- Country

• Overseas

Government Programs and Services

• Health Tips

• Financial Planning

• Travel Tips

Last Important Reminders

Modules and Curriculum

PDOS OUTLINE FOR SEAFARERS

• OWWA Programs and Services

• Other Government Agencies Involved in Migration

Government Programs and Services

• Rights and Responsibilities of an OFW per contract , what to do in case of contract violations.

Standard Employment Contract

• Financial Planning and Importance of Savings and Investments

Financial Management

Modules and Curriculum

• Health and Safety for Seafarers

Personal Health and Safety

• Working Hours

• Multi- Cultural Environment

Coping with Work and Living Condition

• DO’s and DONT’s

Travel Guide

INSTITUTIONS ACCREDITED TO

CONDUCT PDOS

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration

- The following are the institutions authorized to conduct PDOS

Institutions accredited…..

OWWA – conducts PDOS for skilled workers in

the regions and workers for deployment to Canada and interns for deployment to Japan under the JITCO program. Effective 01 February 2012, OWWA started conducting PDOS for government-placed and name-hired contract workers.

Institutions accredited…..

Effective October 2012 ,OWWA started to conduct a two (2) day PDOS for HSWs bound to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

On November 2013, OWWA started conducting PDOS to German bound Health Workers.

Institutions accredited…..

OWWA Accredited PDOS Providers

◦ Agency Associations (AIs) - conduct PDOS for skilled, technical and professional workers of their member agencies. As of 11 April 2014, there are six industry associations accredited to conduct PDOS.

◦ Country Specific (CS) – as of 11 April 2014 there are two (2) Country Specific agencies accredited to conduct PDOS.

◦ Recruitment Agencies – either sea-based or land-based, conduct PDOS for their own

skilled workers. As of 11 April 2014, there are 53 land-based recruitment agencies and 234 sea-based/manning agencies accredited to conduct in-house PDOS for their workers.

◦ NGOs – conduct PDOS for HSWs, OPAs and workers belonging to vulnerable

occupational groups. As of 11 April 2014, there are fourteen (14) NGOs accredited to conduct PDOS.

◦ Supplemental PDOS – as of 11 April 2014, there are 223 Philippine Recruitment Agencies (PRAs) authorized to conduct supplemental PDOS.

Institutions accredited…..

The following OWWA Regional Welfare Offices (RWOs) also conduct PDOS for workers in their areas: o RWO NCR (Pasay City) ◦ RWO CAR (Baguio City, Cordillera Administrative Region) ◦ RWO I (San Fernando, La Union) ◦ RWO III (San Fernando, Pampanga) ◦ RWO IVA (Calamba, Laguna) ◦ RWO V (Legazpi City) ◦ RWO VI (Iloilo City) ◦ RWO VII (Cebu City) ◦ RWO VIII (Tacloban) ◦ RWO IX (Zamboanga City) ◦ RWO X (Cagayan De Oro City) ◦ RWO XI ( Davao City) ◦ RWO CARAGA (Butuan City)

THE COMPREHENSIVE PRE-

DEPARTURE EDUCATION PROGRAM

(CPDEP) FOR HOUSEHOLD SERVICE

WORKERS (HSWS)

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration

- In order to address the difficulty confronting overseas workers relating to language barrier, OWWA implemented the Language and Culture Familiarization Course on January 2007 with Arabic as the sole language course offering.

CPDEP for HSWs…

To reach out to more workers and address the needs of the vulnerable groups especially the household service workers, the language course was expanded on March 2009 (D.O. No. 95-09 Series 2009), and incorporated the one-day PDOS, the Language and Culture Training and a Stress Management course into a single education for Household Service Workers (HSWs).

CPDEP for HSWs…

Currently we are offering the following language courses :

Arabic – three (3) days

Cantonese – three days

Hebrew – three days

Italian – three days

Mandarin – six days

CPDEP for HSWs…

The objectives of the CPDEP are:

To make PDOS for HSWs more responsive to the welfare and protection needs of this vulnerable sector and;

To prepare HSWs to cope with the stressful work conditions and environment in foreign households.

CPDEP for HSWs…

The Stress Management Seminar is a half day seminar that aims to:

Increase level of awareness on causes of stress and its effects.

Prepare the workers emotionally and mentally to face the challenges of working abroad.

Affirmation of workers’ existing coping strategies and building up new coping mechanisms.

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF PDOS

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF PDOS

Monitoring and evaluation of PDOS implementation as to its quality and delivery;

Making PDOS more country, gender and skills specific;

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF PDOS

Engaging the support and collaboration of country of destination; and

The use of modern technology in disseminating of relevant information about PDOS.

Presented by: Josephine S. Tobia OWWA-OIC Planning and Development Division