Objectives of the Handbook
- Empower OFWs by making them fully aware of their rights and responsibilities.
- Complement worker education programs by various government agencies.
- Provide basic information on labor and living conditions in destination countries.
- Inform workers about the advantages and disadvantages of working overseas.
- Offer necessary information for the reintegration of OFWs into Philippine society after their work abroad.
Amendments to Republic Act No. 8042 (Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995)
- The POEA’s powers are broadened to not only inform migrant workers of their labor rights but also their human rights.
- POEA is tasked with instructing and guiding workers on how to assert their rights and providing mechanisms for redress in case of rights violations.
- The Handbook must incorporate applicable Philippine laws and the labor and social laws of destination countries, with clear, simple language and translations as needed.
- POEA must implement an intensified program against illegal recruitment in partnership with law enforcement agencies.
- The POEA is required to conduct comprehensive, gender-sensitive Pre-employment Orientation Seminars (PEOS) covering illegal recruitment prevention and the Handbook’s content.
Implementing Agencies
- The primary implementing agency is POEA.
- Implementation is coordinated with: Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), and Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA).
Funding and Appropriations
- Initial funding for the continuous publication, distribution, and updating of the Handbook comes from the POEA’s appropriations.
- Subsequent funding shall be included in the General Appropriations Act for the years following the law’s enactment.
Repealing Clause
- All laws, rules, or regulations inconsistent with this Act shall be repealed or amended accordingly.
Separability Clause
- If any provision is declared unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions not affected will remain in force.
Effectivity
- The law takes effect 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette and at least one newspaper of general circulation.