Officers and members of the Filipino Social Club at the Philippine Overseas Labour Office in Al Qusais, Dubai, for talks on One-Day Services.

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

The Philippine Overseas Labour Office in Dubai (POLO-Dubai) which has been upgrading its digital services and which has been on road tours with the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai (PCG-Dubai) to the Northern Emirates, is going for another outreach programme on September 18 (Sunday), so that more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will be provided with ease for all their employment and proper documentation requirements in the UAE and with pertinent Philippine government agencies.

Labour Attache for Dubai and the Northern Emirates John Rio Bautista on Monday said target for the “One Day Services Programme” in partnership with the Filipino Social Club (FilSoC), is 1,000 OFWs including those which have secured appointments for that day via www.polodubaiportal.org.

“The One Day Services is to grant relief and to facilitate POLO services to our OFWs so that they will no longer take the tedious trip to POLO-Dubai located in Al Qusais 3. The partnership between POLO-Dubai and FilSoC is also aimed at fostering harmony among the Filipino groups and to equip their officers and members with proper know-how to meet the various challenges of community work and life in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah,” he also said.

In a separate interview with FilSoC president Ericson Reyes, it was learnt that the non-profit civil society organisation, licensed by the Community Development Authority in Dubai (CDA-Dubai) to hold “social, cultural, sports, welfare, education, and artistic or entertainment activities,” not only within and among Filipinos but with other nationalities as well, met with Bautista last Sunday for the partnership.

The partnership had been initially discussed a few months back, according to Reyes: “Last Sunday, our labour attache also updated us about the changes and improved services they are giving to all us OFWs so we become more knowledgeable of the nitty-gritty of the POLO services and thus, more pro-active in our community work. We will announce the venue soonest.” Among the topics discussed too, by the 70 people representing 40 Filipino organisations, were the “strengthening of the Filipino Community by enhancing the FilSoC group structure.

“A special committee was formed that will help make proposals to the FilSoC Board of Directors. We will have the “Palarong Pambansa” (“Filipino Sports Festival”) within the year,” Reyes added, saying that the meeting was a follow-through to the June 5 (Sunday) meeting FilSoC had with CDA-Dubai officials regarding FilSoC becoming the umbrella organisation of all existing Filipino social, cultural, sports, professional groups.

Moreover on the September 18 POLO-Dubai-FilSoC partnership, services available on that day will be the same services provided for by the government agency, affiliated with the newly-established Department of Migrant Workers - from the Department of Labour and Employment - in its outreach programmes.

One of the services is the verification of documents such as job contracts, particularly to those who have not been enrolled in the database of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration because they had entered the UAE as visit visa holders or had changed employers.

Those who have yet to apply for membership or have to renew their membership with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the Social Security System, and the PagIBIG Fund (Home Development Mutual Fund) are encouraged to mark their calendar.

Records revealed that POLO-Dubai did not conduct any outreach programme in 2021 due to the Novel Coronavirus pandemic.

However, for 2022, either on its own or alongside with the PCG-Dubai, POLO-Dubai had completed nine outreach programmes beginning with the two Philippine Independence Day celebrations held at the Dubai World Trade Centre last June 25 (Saturday) and June 26 (Sunday). Total number of OFWs served were 5,680 OFWs with 3,781 women.

Aside from the June 25 and 26 outreach programmes through which 2,500 OFWs with 1,695 women were extended assistance, POLO-Dubai went to Ras Al Khaimah with PCG-Dubai last March 5 (Saturday), 733 OFWs, 450 women; to Atlantis Hotel (Dubai) last March 18 (Friday), 120 OFWs, 72 women; to Fujairah last March 19 (Saturday), 506 OFWs, 365 women; to Atlantis and One & Only Hotel (Dubai) last April 22 (Friday), 125 OFWs, 69 women; to the Palm and Atlantis (Dubai) last April 30 (Saturday), 800 OFWs, 550 women; to Bath Spa University (Ras Al Khaimah) last June 4 (Saturday), 500 OFWs, 350 women; and to Umm Al Quwain and Ajman last June 18 (Saturday), 396 OFWs, 230 women.