In an effort to streamline arrangement of returning overseas Filipino workers to the Philippines, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has soft launched an online facility to apply for overseas employment certificate (OEC).
The online facility — accessible at http://bmonline.poea.gov.ph/ — is available for use by Filipino workers on vacation, rehired, or returning to the same employer, and with existing record in the POEA database. The system allows OFWs to generate and pay for OEC without going to designated Philippine embassies and consular locations.
Returning workers who don’t meet the above criteria will still find the website useful as it helps redirect them to a Balik Manggagawa appointment page for prompt regular OEC processing at designated date and time. The system eases the waiting time among Filipino workers who traditionally find themselves in long lines to apply for OECs a few weeks or days before their flight to the Philippines.
Related: Why OEC Should Be Abolished
Related: How to Get OEC at NAIA Terminal 3
Cost of this online facility is P119.50 which will cover staff costs, infrastructure and lease of e-payment portal, according to POEAChief Facebook page update.
A short guide on use of this online facility has also been provided.
It is still a breach of international law by the Philippines government to force their citizens to produce a certificate in order to travel from their home country. Are the citizens of Philippines slaves for their government to sell?
Hi Steven, my officemate who is from Sudan seems to have similar requirement (it is not Ph unique), India has the same for unskilled wokers. The aftershock of this OEC requirement opened up the gates for the corrupt immigration officials, even visiting Disneyland HK might end up off-loading and denied departure.