Vacationing OFW? A first-timer’s guide to POEA and the OEC

As thousands of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) take their holiday leaves to spend Christmas and New Year in the Philippines, we would like to give some tips to OFWs, especially those who are coming home from their overseas employment for the first time.

Filipinos returning to their job site abroad cannot leave the Philippines without an Overseas Exit Clearance (OEC). Unconstitutional, perhaps, but there is no way around it if you have a work permit stamped on your passport. Briefly, here are the steps for POEA and the OEC.

For first-timers

Follow these instructions and you should be able to complete the requirements within a week:

1. Go to the POEA office for processing. Before you go, check the list of requirements in POEA’s list of OFW services and procedures. Make sure to come early, bring a pen and be prepared for a long wait.

• If your contract is in a language other than English, have it translated.
• Make sure your contract has a repatriation clause. If your company doesn’t allow it (as most EU countries cannot change the standard contract), just ask them to print the repatriation clause on a company letterhead and sign it. Copy the repatriation clause of POEA’s standard employment contract, item #12. Attach this to your contract. When POEA checks your contract, make sure that you point it out to them that you already have the repatriation clause, because by default they will give the letter of compliance for the repatriation clause and ask you to come back with the signature of the company representative. Alternatively, just give your company HR the heads-up that you will be sending over the letter of compliance for their signature.

2. If you were recruited directly by the company, follow “Documentation of Landbased Name Hires“. Follow the process/requirements for Skilled Workers.

• DAY 1: Queue at POEA. Submit the documents and get a referral for your Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) and the list of affiliated clinics for your medical certificate. At the end of the hall, give your PDOS referral and get a schedule for the PDOS. If you’re lucky you can do it in the afternoon but otherwise you come back the next day. Note: Medical requirements vary per country and POEA-accredited clinics will know what tests are needed for each country. Prices and the speed at which medical results can be obtained depend on the clinic, so call up a few to check. Some can give results on the same day, while some will require you to come back a few days later.
• DAY 2: Do your medical check-up and attend the PDOS. Have the PDOS certificate photocopied.
• DAY 3: Return to POEA with the completed set of requirements (including PDOS certificate + medical certificate). If there are no issues, you will then pay the USD100 POEA processing fee, OWWA membership (USD25 per contract, maximum of two years), PHILHEALTH Medicare (P900 as of February 2012) and PAG-IBIG membership (P100). The receipt will serve as your exit clearance. You may also pay additional for monthly PAG-IBIG should you wish to contribute on the spot

3. Before you depart from the airport, you need to have your OEC validated at the OFW counter. OEC bearers are exempted from travel tax and terminal fee at the airport. Click here for the location map of POEA-Labor Assistance Counter at NAIA.

For returning OFWs with valid employment contracts

If you have had your current contract processed at POEA, you will no longer pay for OWWA membership. There is a P100 processing fee and P100 PAG-IBIG membership. If your last departure was over a year ago, you may also need to pay Php1,200 for one-year Philhealth coverage.

1. Proceed to POEA. The process will take at most half a day at POEA main if the queues are long. To avoid the queues, schedule your appointment via bmappointment.poea.gov.ph. POEA offices, including those at airports, also issue OECs. Just make sure to allocate enough time to get it before your flight. There are also satellite processing units at Trinoma, SM Manila and Duty Free main for the holidays. Bring the following:

• Philippine passport valid for six months from time of departure
• Valid working visa/work permit
• Proof of employment such as certificate of employment, company ID, pay slip, and other equivalent document
• Previous OEC with receipt of OWWA membership.

2. Alternatively, get your OEC from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office at the Philippine Embassy nearest you prior to returning to the Philippines.

3. Bring your OEC with you to the airport on your departure from the Philippines.

Please note that a new employment contract requires OFWs to repeat the process of first-timers. POEA processing fee is waived for extended contracts (same employer renewal).

Happy holidays, everyone!

DISCLAIMER:  The above information is applicable to landbased skilled and professional workers directly hired by companies overseas. Processes for agency recruits, seabased workers, low-skilled workers, and household service workers may be different. As we aren’t experts on this subject, kindly consult Pinoy forums specific to the particular countries and industries where you are employed or wish to be employed if you have any particular situations to discuss.We are also unable to answer questions about job openings overseas or about specific situations regarding the OEC. For more info, please contact the labor office nearest you.

European Higher Education Fair 2012 Manila

 

Filipino Erasmus Mundus alumni participated in the recent European Higher Education Fair at the Peninsula Manila. At the European Union booth, they answered questions of prospective applicants and provided useful information to fair attendees.

Read EMA SEA VP Shiella Balbutin’s recap of the event on the EMA website.

Prague plays host to EMA’s 6th General Assembly

By: Shiella C. Balbutin, EMA Southeast Asia Chapter VP

 

The beautiful city of Prague, Czech Republic was the host of the Erasmus Mundus Association’s 6th General Assembly last June 22-23, 2012. The event was held at the Faculty of Education, Charles University.

Close to 160 participants from all over the world, who are members of the EMA Steering Committee, boards of EMA regional chapters, representatives of Erasmus Mundus courses, officers of the European Commission and other members of the association, gathered together for the annual event. As in the past, formal presentations and discussions are usual features at the GA. It opened with the welcome greetings from Radka Wilddova, Dean of the Faculty of Education of Charles University; Martine Dere from the Directorate General of Education and Culture of the European Commission; as well as from Jean Carlos Pelicano and Hady Abi-Nader, President and Vice-president of EMA.

Other presentations were from Jordi Curell, Director of Lifelong Learning: Higher Education and International Affairs of the European Commission; Katarina Nevedalova, member of the European Parliament and VP of the European Youth Forum; Jana Fiorito and Edith Genser, representatives from the Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Commission; and Tahia Devisscher, Erasmus Mundus Quality Advisory Board. Moreover, there was a discussion on the “Erasmus for All” proposal; voting session of the EMA statute; and the meetings of the service teams, professional networks and regional chapters.

Despite the packed two-day schedule, the GA also organized interesting social and cultural activities which delighted the participants. One of which was the “City Hunt”, conducted the day before the GA. During the game, participants were divided into groups and were given tasks to accomplish within a given period of time. It was a great way to establish camaraderie and to see the sights of Prague, albeit hurriedly.

The EMA-South East Asia Chapter Members from Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam

Other highlights of the event included the fellowship dinner on the boat while cruising along Vltava River and passing through Charles Bridge. The beautiful sunset and skyline of the city served as backdrop of the cruise.

The EMA-SEA VP presented the chapter’s accomplishments and plans during the “World Map Session”.

Moreover, it was a time of firsts. For the first time, the GA put the spotlight on the EMA Regional Chapters via the “World Map Session”. It featured the presentations of all chapter representatives wearing their traditional costumes. This certainly reinforced EMA’s rich cultural diversity. As VP of the South East Asia Chapter, I was tasked to introduce and present our chapter’s accomplishments and activities.

During “World Coffee Break”, the chapters showcased flags and delicacies from home (Shiella brought the famed Philippine dried mangoes)

Another first-time feature was the “World Coffee Break”. Prior to the event, we were requested to bring sweets from home and these were showcased and put on display at the chapter booths. It was a very interesting experience as the participants enjoyed sharing and eating the variety of food from different parts of the world. I brought the Philippines’ famous sweet dried mangoes and they were such big hits!

It was another productive and successful GA. It certainly proves that for all the members, finishing our EM courses is not the end but the beginning of a happy journey with EMA.

 

Read more about EMA alumna Shiella Balbutin’s Prague trip on her blog. 

UK Pre-departure Briefing at the British Council

The British Council will have a Pre-Departure Briefing Seminar on 20 July 2012, Friday, at the premises of the British Council Philippines from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.

This event is intended for those who will be going to the UK to study this academic year. The 2 hour programme will cover topics ranging from academic life, accommodation, cost of living and many more.

We have invited Filipinos who have studied in the UK to share experiences on their student life in the UK while British Council Philippines staff will be on hand to answer other queries about studying and living in the UK.

To reserve a seat, please email the following information to educationuk@britishcouncil.org.ph:

• Name
• UK Institution or University
• Course or Programme

Admission is FREE.

This event is exclusive to those who are bound for the UK to study.

This seminar will also be broadcasted via live internet feed (WEBINAR). If you prefer to join us online, please send the above information to the same email address and we will send you instructions on how to join. It is advisable for you to have a good internet connection, using either Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, and a headset for better quality viewing of the webinar.

For further enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us or check us out on our Facebook Page.

A Romanian Easter

Our Europe correspondent, Mari-An C. Santos, tells us about her first Easter in Romania.

Putna Monastery was built by the leadership of Stefan cel Mare after winning in battle

Romania is composed largely of adherents to the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is interesting to see so many churches in both cities and small villages with the uniquely Orthodox elements and Christian icons.

Many Romanian Orthodox faithful observe post, or a fast for 40 days during the Lenten season. In this period, they abstain from eating any meats or animal by-products, in some areas, this means that they do not eat eggs either.

This past Easter, I was blessed with the opportunity to spend the Easter holidays in the most traditional part of Romania, Moldova in the northeast, near the border with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. This year, the Easter celebration was a week after our own Catholic observance. I traveled with a friend from Pakistan, a friend from Czech Republic, and two American friends who have lived in Romania for almost three years.

We first went to Targu Neamt, which is where my American friends, David and Veronica, used to live. There, we attended the Easter Vigil Mass that was celebrated from 11 pm until about 2 am. It was composed of many prayers and songs and rituals that accompanied the resurrection of Christ. As part of the celebration, people brought bread to be blessed. They also brought big candles in canisters that were lit during the service and afterwards, those whose dearly departed buried in the cemetery nearby brought the lit candles to the graves and left them there. The end of the solemn ceremony signaled a true celebration, a feast of eating and drinking among the faithful.

Multicultural Friends at Easter lunch: Veronica, Claudia and Marius, and Reema

The next day, we had Easter lunch with the Botez family, whose patriarch is an Orthodox priest. It was an interesting, multicultural, multilingual mix. The family members understood English but did not speak it much. We managed with my broken Romanian and David and Veronica’s excellent Romanian.

We started with the traditional Easter egg game using painted eggs specially prepared for the occasion. The eggs symbolize the eggs that were at the foot of the cross when Jesus was crucified and the His blood rendered them crimson. To color the eggs, they boil the red onions and then use the same water to boil eggs with patterns—either by sticking small leaves on the eggshells or rendering a design with wax before they boil them in the colored water. Of course, this is the traditional way; I encountered egg-painting sessions in other parts of the country where they used store-bought paints.

The author beside a giant painted Easter egg

Anyway, the game goes that people break into pairs, holding one painted egg each. One person says “Hristos a inviat (Christ is risen)!” and the other says “Adeverat a inviat (Indeed, He is risen)!” and cracks one the bottom end of his egg on the top end of the other. If your eggshell is cracked, you turn it over and play the game with another person. This goes on around the table and the “winner” is the person whose egg survives uncracked.

During a visit to the toilet, I saw that there was a painted egg in a cup of water on the sink—and a paper bill under the cup. I asked my hosts about this when I got back to the table and they said that they believe that if they washed their faces with this water in which the egg was soaked, they will look beautiful and healthy all throughout the year. And the money? Well, the last one to wash his face gets to keep it.

They served us different homemade cheeses, meats, salmon salad, and of course, lamb. My friends say that this is the only time of the year when lamb is commonly eaten. We also enjoyed homemade tuica (liquor made from plums) and homemade red wine. It is very nice that they are still able to make things from home here, ensuring that everything is natural and without harmful chemicals. They also introduced me to a nice, new refreshment. They take homemade pine syrup (from young pine) and pour a small amount in a glass then pour in about three-fourths carbonated water. It is a sweet, refreshing, and they say, therapeutic drink. All I know is, it tastes fantastic!

Sweet tooth that I am, the highlight of the meal was when we had traditional desserts like pasca and cozonac. Pasca is only prepared during Easter and can be made with chocolate, sweet cheese and raisins, or sour cream. We had the two last varieties, made by the Botez’s grandmother and they were divine! We also had some cozonac, which is a more common dessert that I also tasted at Christmas time.

We also met David, a Guatemalan who married a Romanian, Florentina, and converted to the Orthodox faith. We had a nice time getting to know them and their beautiful little girl, Maria. They also gave us some homemade cozonac. What a feast this Easter was!

Wall from the Voronet monastery–known for the “Voronet Blue”

Suceava Fortress under renovation

While in the region, we made the most of our proximity to the painted monasteries in Suceava. These are unique sites that date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. Some of the doctrines of the church as well as stories from the Bible are painted on the outside walls of the churches in order to help the illiterate faithful of that time to understand the teachings. Inside, during service, women stood on one side of the church, and men on the other side. The most visited churches are some distance apart, so you need a car to go on a pilgrimage from one to the other. We visited Putna, Sucevita, Humor, Voronet, and Moldovita.

Overall, it was a different, very educational trip to that part of Romania and I am glad that I was able to do it, gaining more knowledge, experience, and new friends along the way.

Related stories:

First Bursts of Spring in Sibiu

Valentine’s in Sibiu

Results jitters

Hello, EM applicants!

I’ve noticed a lot of tension and excitement in the comments section lately pertaining to the results of the 2012-2013 intake. Because there is a lack of a proper forum for the topic, it’s inevitable that this blog is flooded with your updates, which we welcome.

One thing I would like to request for you is to be very patient. I know you’ve been waiting for a long time. I’ve been there and I know how it feels like. Don’t get stressed about things that are beyond your control and add to other applicants’ nervousness. Just state your update (or the lack thereof), but please don’t vent here. The results will greatly impact on your life for the next few years, for sure, but it’s not reasonable to expect an inter-country committee poring through hundreds of application to fit their timelines into yours. Some consortia have finished their processes ahead but don’t let that be your standard. Each consortium has its own timings, though they all have the same deadlines at the Commission.

If it’s any consolation, I only heard about the scholarship decision in late June. I believe a lot has improved since then (six years ago).

Good luck and keep us posted. We’d be happy to hear from you.

 

Cheers,

Your Admin

New EMA-SEA Chapter Board

Congratulations to the newly elected board of the EMA Southeast Asia Chapter!

• President of EMA South East Asia Chapter: See Yuen Beh
  

• Vice President of EMA South East Asia Chapter: Shiella C. Balbutin
  

• Internal Communication Team Coordinator of EMA South East Asia Chapter: Veena Cute-ngarmpring 
• Promotions Team Coordinator of EMA South East Asia Chapter: Yih Liang Tan

 We look forward to the Chapter’s programmes and continued service of Erasmus Mundus students and alumni from the region. All the best!

First Bursts of Spring in Sibiu

Our correspondent, Mari-An C. Santos, continues her series on life as a student in Romania.

March is a beautiful month in Romania, mostly because it is the beginning of the end of winter. Yes, after more than three months of blistering cold, punctuated with snow storms that result in meters-high snow that make roads unpassable, or a crust of ice that makes them slippery, the sun starts to show its warm face again. And that thin ray of hope is enough to celebrate.

Guys buy flowers and trinkets for lady-loves/significant others

There are three events that they observe on such a month: Mărțișor, Babele, and Women’s Day.

Mărțișor is celebrated on the 1^st of March, commemorating the beginning of spring. The word comes from the old name of March in Romanian. My friend, Natalia, told me a legend that she has heard since she was a little girl in the region of Moldova/Moldavia. It says that Spring was a beautiful fairy who wanted to bring warmth and sun to the earth. But the god of Frost would not allow it. So when Spring came to earth to bring forth the new season, the god of Frost engaged her in battle in order to stop her. It was a long and tedious battle, and Spring was exhausted that eventually, Frost wounded one of her fingers and blood dripped from her onto the white snow. From the place where Spring’s blood touched the snow, a beautiful snowdrop appeared. It gave Spring the power to defeat the god of Frost, and bring warmth to people, ending the cold of winter. Since then, on the first day of spring, people wear a mărțișor to commemorate the defeat of the god of Frost.

Different kinds of mărțișor on sale at makeshift stalls all over town

A mărțișor is also a trinket that is given to the women (generally) to wear at the onset of spring, to wish them good health. It was, initially, made up of intertwined white and red string, in reference to Spring’s blood and the cold of snow. In more modern times, anything from a simple pin or brooch to earrings and miniature symbols are attached to the mărțișor and given as a sign of friendship or love. It also symbolizes fertility. Women usually wear them pinned on their coats for the first few days of spring.

Ironically, as I spent Mărțișor in Brasov, Transylvania, it was a beautiful, sunny day that felt indeed like a promise of spring. But the very next day, it started to snow again.

The author, fourth from right, with fellow Asians

Meanwhile, Babele or Baba Dochia is observed starting on the 1^st of March too. My friend, Adelina, narrated the legend of Baba, an old woman who went up a mountain with her sheep. It was winter, so she was wearing nine layers of coats. But as she ascended, she felt warmer, and one by one, she took off the coats she was wearing. But when she reached the top, the weather became colder and she froze and turned to stone.

Each person chooses a day beforehand, from March 1 to 9, and however the weather on that day is, that is how your year will go. For example, if it’s sunny, then it will be a good, pleasant year; if it’s snowy, then it will be a tumultuous one.

Another related legend is about Dochia, the daughter of Decebal (king of Dacia from 87 to 106). The Roman emperor Trajan fell in love with her. As she was running away from Trajan, she hid in the Ceahlău Massif (also called the Romanian Olympus) with her sheep. There, Dochia froze along with her sheep, and turned into stone. Even today, you can see the rocks that are purported to be Dochia and her sheep, dotting the mountain’s landscape.

Spring starts: streets in full bloom with flowers and colors

Now, Women’s Day is an international celebration. But the celebration in Romania is one akin to the Valentine’s Day celebration that we know. Again, as a testament to the summer that is about to come, flowers flood the shops lining the streets. Women of different ages receive flowers from family and friends—and lovers, of course. Old women also gather pussy willow branches that they sell and are also symbols of spring.

Women from the university dance at the Women's Day party

However, as of the end of March, snow still remains on the peaks not too far away from the city of Sibiu—in Balea and Paltinis. People make the most of the fact that the sun is shining to snowboard and ski. And just the other day, it snowed again. Maybe spring is not quite here yet. But March bears the hope that it will some soon enough.

Read Mari-An’s first post, Valentine’s in Sibiu, here.

Pinoy Erasmus Mundus scholar wins EMA Photo Contest

Ken Subillaga, student of the Erasmus Mundus Mobility with Asia Doctorate Program and Pinoy Erasmus Mundus contributor, won the EMA Photo Contest in March with his photo “Love knows no boundaries” (above) , which topped the Facebook voting with over 200 Likes. More about the photo here. Congrats, Ken!

Valentine’s in Sibiu

by Mari-An Santos

Valentine’s day is a big, commercial holiday in the Philippines. It is the day that causes traffic jams all over the metro. Sweets, flowers, hearts and pink and red abound in true commercialized style. It is an “imported” holiday, mostly propagated by the West. Here in Romania, it is slowly inching its way into the consciousness of locals, but there is a movement, if you will, that would rather propagate the celebration of Dragobete, a similar holiday held on the 24th of February (more on that later).

I learned from a few Erasmus friends that in Belgium, for example, majority of Belgians perceive Valentine’s Day as a commercial and marketing ploy; and that not all couples celebrate it. Those who do often go out to a restaurant and exchange gifts. Men often give women jewelry and red roses. It is also celebrated in Slovakia, where my friend reassures, the men are educated and you can find interesting conversation, as well as charming and fun—and with a wink, generally like Asian women.

In Pakistan, having a girlfriend or a boyfriend is not so common, so those who are in relationships usually have to covertly buy gifts and hide them from family members before giving them to their love interest. In the university, a single guy will hold out a rose to a girl that he likes.

A few days before the holiday, since some Erasmus students were already finished with their exams and were looking for something to do, our Facebook group page was abuzz with ideas on how to celebrate the occasion—mostly just an excuse to hold a party, but this time, with a specific theme. Ideas from the usual food and drinks to couples paired up to dance were thrown around. The international relations department got wind of the plans and before we knew it, we had a venue at the university canteen and the rector and vice-rector were set to attend the occasion! So from an informal gathering to hang out, we had to get at least a little dressed up, though thankfully, not necessarily in red and pink.

Each student pitched in some money for a few decorations and snacks. More than 50 of us were in attendance, with some Romanian students who were our friends as guests. We had a “paper roses” presentation, where each girl had a number and each guy picked a number from a bowl—and whoever picked the girl’s number would give her a paper rose. The guys thought of different styles, from getting down on one knee, to delivering a romantic soliloquy to one even playing the “My Heart Will Go On” on his harmonica.

There was also the apple-eating game where four couples raced to finish off an apple suspended on a string. Another, was a simplified dating game, where one girl chose from three guys and won…a rose and presented the guy a bar of chocolate. Some of the guys sang for the head of the international department and presented her with flowers. Then, we enjoyed some cakes from the international department and spent a few minutes dancing before heading back to the dormitory. The event seemed interesting enough that it was even featured in a local paper and website.

But the more interesting holiday is the local Valentine’s day that also celebrates the beginning of spring—even in these times of climate change. Dating back to the Dacian era (1st century-1st century CE), the practice is being heavily promoted, encouraging couples to resist the foreign, imported holiday in favor of the local one. Traditionally, in the countryside, girls and boys pick flowers and dance and sing together. Also, it is the time when a boy can express his love for a girl. A boy will run after a girl and if he catches up with her and kisses her, it is believed that their love will be strong for a year. I asked about the next year, and apparently, they do the process again. Women also supposedly gather some remaining snow and use water from them to make potions. I have yet to find out a recipe. When I do, I’ll let you know.

Meantime, I am told that more interesting celebrations are coming in the next few weeks, like Martisoare on 1 March and Women’s Day on 8 March. I will surely update you on those events.

Mari-An Santos is pursuing her Masters in Advertising and Brand at Universitatea “Lucian Blaga” din Sibiu in Romania under EMMA East.