What is OWWA?

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration or more commonly referred to as OWWA is considered as the national government’s primary agency in helping out millions of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) worldwide. It has been created in 1977 under the administration of then President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Moreover, it was formerly named as the Welfare and Training Fund for Overseas Workers. 

Eventually, the agency had been put under the supervision of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) which has set the mandates of the agency in order to fully uphold the interest and welfare of OFWs while they work outside the country.

The prime concern of OWWA is to look after the welfare of OFWs as they work hard abroad just to meet the financial needs of their children and families in the country. The agency also offers a wide array of benefits and services program such as the OWWA Services Programs which are advantageous to the OFWs. 

Moreover, OWWA also provides many loan programs in order to back up those OFWs who intend to start up their own businesses in the Philippines. Through these loan programs, OFWs may opt to stay with their families and friends while they earn money monthly.

Aside from the being a government agency, OWWA is also a membership institution. This means that the benefits the agency offers are exclusively for its member-OFWs. OFWs who wish to apply in various OWWA Services Programs should make sure that they are bona fide active members of the agency by paying their monthly contributions. Furthermore, OFWs must also attach the required documents in their respective application forms in order for their request to be processed as soon as possible. The OWWA management has reiterated the OFW applicants that their applications will be denied unless they complied with the set requirements.

Interested OFW applicants may check out the OWWA’s official website for further information about the agency’s long history as well as its benefits and services programs. They may also visit any of the satellite and regional offices across the archipelago in which their queries will be directly answered by designated OWWA personnel. 

In addition, OFW applicants may submit their application forms along with the set requirements to any branch of Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP). These banking institutions also back up some of OWWA’s projects so as to cater more OFWs.