By Leslie Ann Aquino
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has instructed the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices to conduct post-arrival orientation seminars (PAOS) to newly-arrived overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) ideally within one month from the date of their arrival in the host country.
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretay Silvestre Bello III (Keith Bacongco/ MANILA BULLETIN)
A follow-through to the pre-departure orientation seminar (PDOS), the PAOS serves as a guide for newly-arrived OFWs to be oriented about the receiving country’s profile, culture, economy, education, laws, and working environment.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Administrative Order No. 532, prescribed a content framework that contains information on the customs, culture, and tradition of the host country of OFWs.
This, aside from the political and regulatory framework on labor and immigration; employment contract; Philippine government’s role; emergency services availments; health and safety benefits; training initiatives; social support system services; and Filipino Community initiatives.
The AO also directed Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) to compel employers and foreign recruitment agencies to allow OFWs, especially the domestic workers, to attend the seminar.
Bello said the DOLE - International Labor Affairs Bureau and the POLOs are already set to work on the development of an online country-specific version of the PAOS as a supplemental platform for the implementation of the program.