Watch against OWWA fund misuse for 2010 polls, group urges

by dave Fri Apr 04, 2008 4:39 pm

Fellow OFWs in Korea:

Together, let us closely watch our money from misusing by our corrupt government officials... OWWA funds is OFW's money... our money!!! and it should be used for programs that would benefit our own future...

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Watch against OWWA fund misuse for 2010 polls, group urges
04/03/2008 | 07:22 PM

MANILA, Philippines � An advocacy group of migrants� rights raised serious apprehension on Thursday that the estimated P10 billion funds entrusted to the Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration (OWWA) would again be used to finance the campaign of administration candidates in the 2010 elections.

Ellene Sana, executive director of the Center for Migrants Advocacy (CMA), pressed for a move in Congress for an audit of the OWWA funds that were generated from the $25 membership dues collected on OFWs for every two-year contract.

He suggested that the opposition closely watch the administration�s utilization of trust funds, including the OWWA�s in order to prevent abuses or misspending of OFW money.

�Malapit na ang eleksyon, dapat ngayon pa lang tingnan na nila (opposition lawmakers) ang mga butas sa paggamit ng OFW funds para masiguro na hindi nila magagamit �yun sa mga kandidato ng administrasyon," Sana said in an interview.

She cited the controversy in the 2004 presidential elections involving alleged diversion of P3.5-billion OWWA funds to the Philippine Health Insurance System (Philhealth) that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo supposedly used to finance health cards she distributed during the campaign.

Although Sana said she believed the irregularities in using OFWs funds for the PhilHealth program in 2004 was averted because of the noise created in media, she warned that some government officials might try it again in the coming elections.

�Mabuti na lang lumabas sa media �yun kaya naging transparent ang transaction at ni-revoke �yung administrative order sa pag-transfer ng pondo. Pero hindi natin maiwasan na mangamba na baka maulit yun," Sana said.

The CMA officer explained that in 2004, instead of transferring the P3.5 billion OWWA fund for the Philhealth program, OWWA just disbursed about P500 million for the health program.

The remaining P3 billion remained with OWWA which was supposed to finance the �supplemental medical benefit package" for OFWs and their families. However, Sana said the medical package did not materialize.

�Intact naman ang pondo kasi isinama �yun sa OWWA fund kaya umabot siya sa P10 billion ngayon. Kaya lang �yung ide-develope raw nilang medical package hindi pa na-develop after more than three years, ang tagal namang ma-develop," she said.

�We hope na makagawa ng malinaw na patakaran ang Kongreso na magtatakda sa paggamit ng pondo na para sa mga OFWs at pamilya nila, at hindi para sa kampanya ng mga pulitiko," Sana added.

Aside from CMA, the militant OFW group Migrante International also called on Congress to come up with a law that would specify the uses of the OFW trust fund administered by OWWA.

John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator of the militant Migrante � Middle East chapter, said clearly defining the uses of the OWWA fund by law would prevent misuse and abuse, citing the alleged diversion of the workers� money for electoral purposes.

Both Sana and Monterona agreed that Congress should review the Omnibus Policy adopted by the OWWA which they called anti-OFW policy. � Fidel Jimenez, GMANews.TV

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Define uses of OWWA fund, Congress urged
03/19/2008 | 03:55 PM

MANILA, Philippines - A migrants� group urged Congress on Wednesday to come up with a law that would specify the uses of the overseas workers� trust fund administered by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

The trust fund, now estimated at $10 billion, is generated from the $25 membership dues paid by overseas Filipino workers for every two-year contract.

John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator of the militant Migrante � Middle East chapter, said clearly defining the uses of the OWWA fund by law would prevent misuse and abuse, citing the alleged diversion of the workers� money for electoral purposes.

He also cited the latest plan of OWWA to set aside P50 million for training and skills upgrading of marine officers.

Monterona said that while the OWWA�s mandate includes provision of training and other special programs that would benefit OFWs, the planned training program for seafarers is something that can better be handled by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).

He said his group hopes that the House initiative for an inventory of the OWWA trust fund would lead to the enactment of a measure that would set the parameters on the use of the funds that would truly benefit the larger number of migrant workers and their dependents.

�The P50-million should be wisely spent to provide welfare services to runaways and distressed OFWs in Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world," Monterona said, referring to the allotment for the seafarers� training program.

Other OFWs have raised suspicions that the P50-million fund that should be used for the benefit of legitimate overseas workers and their dependents could only end up into the pockets of corrupt public officials.

Monterona noted that nearly 200 Filipinos, including 40 women, are in deportation centers in Saudi Arabia, plus many more languishing in jails in different countries, need money for their repatriation to the Philippines. Most of the stranded Filipinos ran away from their abusive employers.

�Why OWWA can�t disburse an amount to attend on their needs such as food, medicines and air fare tickets?" Monterona asked.

He also suggested that OWWA re-activate welfare programs such as family assistance loan and welfare assistance program which were stopped when the agency implemented what he considered as anti-OFW omnibus policies.

�Migrante, OFWs and their families will strongly campaign and lobby to the members of the Congress for the the passage of a law defining the proper use of OWWA funds. This legislation is necessary to help secure OFWs� money from misuse and corruption," Monterona said. � GMANews.TV

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READER'S FEEDBACK:

From: Mon D in Izmir, Turkey
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 10:47 PM

I hope that the $10b still exists, it's sad that for OFWs like us there's no transparency on the funds, making it easier preys to 'vultures' of the government. To OWWA/POEA, shame on you.
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From: Joel Escoto (jjsco2@gmail.com) in Singapore
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 12:13 AM

I've been working here in Singapore for 11 years and goes back home 3 to 4 times a year. But so far, there are no improvements made on OEC or OWWA transactions.

I even have an OWWA card which until now I don't know what's the use of having it. I feel that I'm giving my hard earn money to this institution for nothing. They don't even upgrade their computers and printers.

They take our money for what?hopefully not to their pocket....I'm really disappointed.

I hope they can think of better ways to serve the OFWs efficiently.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------From: Ernesto David Jr. (ernestodavidjr@yahoo.com) in Nha Trang City, Vietnam
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 10:50 AM

Sir, magandang araw po sa inyo. Pakiimbestiga naman po ang nadiskubre namin
tungkol sa paglustay sa pondo ng OWWA ng mga tiwaling opisyal. Eto po ang report ng COA:

THE Commission on Audit (COA) has rebuked the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration for "illegally" granting about P40 million in incentives and allowances to its officials and employees for the past three years.

COA also took the POEA to task for allowing its executives and employees who were issued mobile phones to download about P796,000 worth of games, tones, picture messages and other unauthorized items.

In its latest report, prepared by Director IV Roberto Marquez, COA said the POEA drew P24.048 million from the funds of the Overseas Workers' Welfare Administration to grant an "incentive allowance" to its personnel. Such use of OWWA funds is unauthorized, COA said.

It said that even if the OWWA Board of Trustees had justified the giving of the incentive allowance by citing the increase in OWWA collections from overseas Filipino workers, the move was "without legal basis."

Section 15 (e) of the General Appropriations Act, FY 2003 (as reenacted in 2004), "as well as previous general appropriation acts, provides that no government funds shall be [used] to pay honoraria, allowances or other compensations to any government official or employee, except those specifically authorized by law," the report stated.

Section 3 of Administrative Order 103 also bans national government agencies from granting new or additional benefits to their officials and employees "except for Collective Negotiation

Agreement (CNA) Incentives and those expressly provided by presidential issuance," the COA said.

Although it recommended that the POEA management stop granting the incentive allowance, COA acknowledged that the issue is awaiting final disposition before the Legal Adjudication Office.

COA noted that the POEA granted P15.448 million for the CNA signing bonus and rice allowance to its employees, a violation of rules laid down by the Public Sector Labor Management Council.

COA said the POEA management and the employees' union agreed on a quarterly rice subsidy to its employees, including casuals, contractual and temporary workers, and a P15,000 signing bonus "to be given on a staggered basis within three years
subject to the availability of savings."

On the strength of the agreement signed on December 10, 2001, the POEA granted P15.448 million from 2002 to 2004. But! the COA reviewed the payments and found they could have violated the rules on CNA signing bonus and allowances. Rice and other subsidies require "appropriation of funds," or approval from Congress and subsequent enactment of the President, COA said.

COA also cited a May 16, 2002, circular from the Department of the Budget and Management that said the President has issued a "moratorium on the grant of CNA signing bonus due to some problems raised on the payment and fund source."

COA added that the moratorium has been in effect until these problems are resolved and a policy is issued on the matter.

It also cited the July 11, 2002, decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Social Security System v. COA, in which it ruled against the signing bonus as a form of additional compensation under the Constitution.

COA said that despite the Court's earlier pronouncement against the granting of incentives and allowances, the POEA in 2004 still gave P7.2105 million to its employees and officials as signing bonus and rice subsidies.

The POEA justified its move by saying that the budget department had approved the release of incentives and allowances, COA said.

COA also questioned why the POEA failed to follow the guidelines in its memorandum on October 26, 2001, covering the use of cell phones after the POEA paid for the nonessential downloads made by its officials and employees.

The POEA is supposed to put a limit on the use of cell phones, but the audit on its telephone bills showed that P487,283.59 of the P1.3-million total from 2003 to 2004 consisted of charges in excess of the authorized limit.

Even POEA's bookkeeper in charge admitted that she could not impose limits on the use of ! the cell phones to some officials, COA said.

"We also noted that the POEA had incurred other charges amounting to P308,747.58 in the use of the mobile phones, in addition to the fixed charges of P400,002.80 due to subscription to Globe lines or plans. These additional charges are value-added taxes and currency adjustment fees. Other charges which are personal and which are easily incurred and billed due to the nature of line subscription, include share-a-load and its processing fee, GPRS such as Globe games, photo messages, polyphonic ring
tones, digital postcards, photo album, cinema and magazine covers, premium java download, instant messaging and catxtcism, etc.," COA said.

To avoid further overpayments, COA recommended that the POEA coordinate with Globe to shift to prepaid cards and end the subscription of postpaid lines.

by reeve Sat Apr 05, 2008 12:09 am

MGA KABABAYAN:

Ang Filipino EPS Workers Association (FEWA), SULYAPINOY Board of Publication at Editorial staff ay tumutulong sa pagbibigay information tungkol sa OWWA membership Registration.

Sana suportahan natin ang programa para sa kapakanan ng bawat OFWs ngunit maging VIGILANT po tayo dahil sa mga pangyayari na di umano ginagamit ang ating pera sa ibang paraan.

Hindi po kami mag aatubili na ibunyag ang mga katiwalian sa ating gobyerno.

Rest assured, SULYAPINOY newsletter and SULYAPINOY website will serve as the WATCHDOG!!
LET US HELP ONE ANOTHER!
BE VIGILANT

Watch against OWWA fund misuse for 2010 polls, group urges

Watch against OWWA fund misuse for 2010 polls, group urges

BE VIGILANT!