OWWA, or short for Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, offers many benefits for OFWs who register as members. In fact, the benefits are available for members regardless of what their employer offers and the laws of the country they will be working for. This provides OFWs with great advantages not found elsewhere.
Disability and Dismemberment – Coverage for disability and dismemberment ranges somewhere from P2,000 to P50,000 depending on the individual’s condition.
Total Disability – Upon permanent disability, a member will receive P100,000.
Life Insurance – Bereaved family members of a deceased OFW will receive P100,000 for natural death or P200,000 for accidental death.
Burial – Additionally, there is a burial benefit amounting to P20,000.
Education and Training – Should the member (or a beneficiary) decide to study, they have several scholarship options such as Skills-for-Employment Scholarship Program (technical vocational programs), Education for Development Scholarship Program (bachelor’s degree courses) and the Seafarers’ Upgrading Program (available for seafarers).
For 4-year courses, a recipient can get P10,000 for school fees and P20,000 for allowance for every semester. Those availing of the seafarers upgrading, on the other hand, will receive somewhere around P1,200 up to P7,500.
Social Services and Family Welfare Assistance – Members can take advantage of Repatriation Program and Reintegration Program should it be necessary. This may include social preparation program as well as livelihood loans.
Workers Assistance and On-site Services – Members may also ask for different types of assistance such as finding the whereabouts of a fellow OFW, counseling, legal and medical assistance, and much more.
With these many advantages, it’s really a good idea to sign up as an OWWA member before you head to your destination abroad. You and your family will reap all the OWWA benefits that can come from your membership.
You may visit their OWWA official website to find additional information.