Employment certificate is out, OFW ID is in!
As early as now, OFWs in Hong Kong anticipates the coming of the OFW ID as a whopping 20,000 already signed up for it. It is said that this OFW ID is set for release early next year.
Marivic Clarin, a welfare officer, said that OFWs who signed up with Balik Manggagawa Online (BMOnline) were also told to apply for the ID. Aside from the 20,000, there are also those OFWs who decided to sign up on their own online.
Currently, according to The Sun Hong Kong, there are already 19,865 OFWs who signed up for the OFW ID and another 800 who applied before Nov.18.
Because of this, Hong Kong is now considered the third highest number of applicants for the OFW ID, next to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates where millions of OFWs reside compared to Hong Kong who only has 210,000 Filipino population.
Clarin also clarified that early next year, this OFW ID will replace the OEC that will serve as a gate pass for overseas workers returning for work abroad.
“They’ll work on it (in the) first quarter of 2019 po dapat,” Clarin says.
However, those OFWs who already have the OFW ID are advised to still get OEC just to be sure that they will get cleared out as they leave the country.
OFW ID is free to all OFW’s who are active members of OWWA.
