Guidelines on PDOS for Disadvantaged Workers

POEA Governing Board Resolution No. 1/1992 is the governing basis for implementing the PDOS requirements under the POEA policy framework.
POEA Memorandum Circular No. 82/1992 provides the prior memorandum authority within which these PDOS guidelines operate.

The circular implements mandatory PDOS for disadvantaged workers through qualified non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The circular limits NGO administration of PDOS to NGOs that have a Covenant of Partnership with POEA and have been admitted for that purpose.
The circular establishes that PDOS administration for specified workers requires POEA referral controls.

All licensed agencies and entities with approved PDOS in-house programs or with PDOS tie-ups must obtain from POEA a Welfare and Employment Office (WED/WEO) corresponding PDOS referral slip for covered workers.
Agencies must secure the PDOS referral slip for workers being deployed for the first time.
The referral requirement is tied to PDOS referrals for specific categories and destination countries with stated start dates.

The circular requires PDOS referral slips for male and female household workers and related workers in the service sector bound for Hongkong with commencement on 16 June 1993.
The circular requires PDOS referral slips for male of female household workers and related workers in the service sector bound for Saudi Arabia with commencement on 16 June 1993.
The circular directs that subsequent circulars will be issued for other skills and corresponding referral categories.

Agencies are responsible for ensuring proper observance by their workers of the PDOS schedule given to them.
Agencies must exert efforts to avoid requests for rescheduling.

The circular sets the PDOS cost at not more than thirty pesos (P30.00).
The cost must be borne by the referring agency/entity.
The cost is directly payable to the NGO that administered the seminar for the agency’s recruits.
The circular requires that the P30.00 amount be part of the placement fee paid by the worker to the agency.

PDOS Certificate of Attendance (CA) must be jointly signed by authorized officials of POEA and the NGO concerned.
PDOS Certificates of Attendance are issued only to workers who are referred by POEA and who have completed the seminar.
NGOs must strictly follow the rule that no OCWs are accepted for PDOS without the proper POEA referral slip.

Agencies/entities affected by the policy must submit monthly PDOS Report.
The monthly PDOS Report must reflect the name of the NGO which administered the PDOS.
The revised reporting form is made available at the WED, WEO.