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Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Latest Update About OFW ID from DOLE Secretary Bello

Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!


Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet.

 In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English.


Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English:
ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not?

Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything.

ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries?

Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID.

ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries.

Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license.

ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir?

Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable.

ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong?

Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID.

ASec. Uson: Is that free sir?

Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way.

ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do?

Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it.

ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it?

Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency.

ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years?

Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement.

ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news.

Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines.

ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website.

Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official.

ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website).

Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website).

ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us...

Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it.

ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349.

Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas.


During and after the interview, here are some of the comments:
Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!

Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!
 
Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!

Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!

Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!

Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!

Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!

Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!








Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality.

 We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones:
1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it.

Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires.
Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!
Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!


2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID.

Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again.

Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!
Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!

3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW.

Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs.
Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!
Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!


4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you.

Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the starved or abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!!
Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!
Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!

While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!
Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!
Here we are, yet again, talking about the OFW ID. It is ironic since the President himself, the one who promised the OFW ID to the millions of OFWs around the world, did not mention it in his last State of the Nation Address. We would have kept mum ourselves but someone else could not keep quiet. In an apparent ambush interview, PCCO ASec. Margaux Uson asks Sec. Bello about the status of the OFW ID. Upon watching the 3-minute interview, a large number of OFWs around the world actually reacted negatively to the Secretary's statements. Watch the video or skip to the transcript below, translated to English. Here is the transcript of the interview, translated in English: ASec. Uson: Here we are again about the never-ending topic regarding the OFW ID (iDOLE) Sir, what is it really? Is it free or not? Sec. Bello: That is free Mocha (Uson), there is no payment for the OFW. Don't mind about who is going to pay. What's important is that the OFWs will not pay anything. ASec. Uson: But what about sir, if the employer will cut the (OFW ID) fee from their salaries? Sec. Bello: We will charge (the fee) their employer. If the OFW is from an agency, we will cancel the agency's license. It is clear, if you are an OFW, do not let then cut your money (salary) as payment for your ID. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) Sir, we cannot stop our employers, they will cut the fee from our salaries. Sec. Bello: We, we can stop them. We will cancel their license. ASec. Uson: (speaking from an OFW perspective) But what about our employers sir? Sec. Bello: Well, then we will transfer you. We will give you a new employer when it comes to that. But the agency that hired you, we will make them accountable. ASec. Uson: Second question sir. The sample ID shows the country, for example Saudi Arabia. What if we are going to transfer to Hong Kong? Sec. Bello: You inform OWWA or DOLE and we will give you a new ID. ASec. Uson: Is that free sir? Sec. Bello: Yes it's free, all the way. ASec. Uson: For example sir, we paid for the ID, or the (recruitment) agency or if the employer cut the fee from our salary, what are we going to do? Sec. Bello: We will ask them to refund it. ASec. Uson: You mean sir, if we shell out money, DOLE will refund it? Sec. Bello: Yes, DOLE will refund it, but we will collect the money from the agency. ASec. Uson: So it's clear, there is no fee for the OFW and there is no expiration of two years? Sec. Bello: Yes, no fee and no expiration; unless you lose your card. You have to get a replacement. ASec. Uson: So I think this is not fake news. Sec. Bello: Do not believe other people, they want to earn money from this. Do not believe them. All OFWs are free. Those talking about online application, we do not have an online portal yet. We are still working on the implementing guidelines. ASec. Uson: Others say there is a test website. Sec. Bello: That's just for testing, it's not yet official. ASec. Uson: So no one paid fees there (website). Sec. Bello: None, no one paid in there (website). ASec. Uson: And for example, an employer or agency collects the fees from us... Sec. Bello: We will go after them, we will refund it. ASec. Uson: For more questions, our hotline... 1349. Sec. Bello: Hotline 1349, for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. It's free, local or overseas. Whatever your reaction to the pronouncements, you are of course entitled to it - especially an OFW. Well wee too are current and former OFWs. And we were aghast at the Secretary's statements. In line with a majority of the comments on the original post, we too think that each time the Secretary speaks about the OFW ID, it goes farther from reality. We could not imagine the scenarios that the Secretary of Labor paints. Let's look at the most ridiculous ones: 1. The OFW ID is free for you, because the agency will pay for it. Our take: This applies only to new hires. That's a very small percentage since most OFWs today are not new hires. 2. DOLE will cancel the license of agencies who will collect fees for the ID. Our take: If the licenses are cancelled, who will pay for the IDs then? Secondly, OFWs who are simply on vacation go back to their employers without passing thru agencies again. 3. DOLE will go after foreign employers to collect the OFW ID fees if the employer refuses to refund an OFW. Our take: Refund simply means, the OFW will have to pau initially - so technically, the OFW will have to shell out money from his own pocket. Secondly, there are almost as many employers out there as there are OFWs. Can you imagine DOLE trying to collect ID fees from employers of household workers in Saudi Arabia or Dubai? Some companies employ hundreds or even thousands, we don't believe they will be paying a huge amount for an ID that is useless to them - for 1000 Filipino employees, that is roughly 38,500 riyals or about half a million pesos. That alone would risk too many Filipinos losing their jobs. 4. DOLE will find you another employer if your employer does not agree with you. Our take: DOLE, OWWA and even the Philippine Embassy could not even locate many of the abused household workers, or help OFWs with months of unpaid wages, or even provide assistance and airline tickets to runaway OFWs, or help all OFWs in jail - and that's in Saudi Arabia alone!!! While some OFWs are actually willing to pay for the ID, just so long as the promised benefits will be delivered, many are irked because the Secretary has always insisted that it is free - yet there is no clear indication as to how it's going to be done. Some even suggest, use the government's money, they have a lot!







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