With technology as the backbone, the Department of Labor and Employment – Philippine Overseas Employment’s Balik-Manggagawa (BM) Online Processing System has redefined the delivery of service to vacationing or returning overseas Filipino workers, specifically on applying, issuing, and printing of their Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC).
“We started this breakthrough service delivery in August 2014, and now, a year after, we can say that it has clearly made a dent in improving our assistance to OFWs. By harnessing the power of web-based technology, we bring our services to the convenience of our migrant workers,” labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said.
The BM Online Processing System is a web-based facility that enables the Balik-Manggagawa (BM) or vacationing OFW to apply online for Overseas Employment Certificate and print the approved OEC anywhere and anytime.
BM Online aims to speed up the issuance of OEC to vacationing OFWs who will return to their respective foreign employers/principals. To better explain and help the users complete the registration process, an instructional video is available at the homepage of the BM Online.
Since its inception, the BM Online Processing System has already served 153,152 Overseas Employment Certificates (OECs) to vacationing OFWs.
The top 10 OFW destination with heavy BM Online Processing System users were Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Malaysia, Israel, Kuwait, Thailand, China, and Hongkong.
Meanwhile, the Top 10 BM Online implementers or local processing centers are POEA-Ortigas, Region 7 (Cebu), POEA Field Office in Trinoma Mall, POEA Field Office-Duty Free, POEA Field Office in SM Manila, Region 11 (Davao), Region 1 (La Union), Region 3 (Pampanga), Region 4-A (Calamba), and CAR (Baguio).
Baldoz said the POEA virtually harnesses the power of web-based technology in this innovation.
“Using Skype as a medium of communication, all Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) evaluators, cashiers, and site administrators were oriented on the use of the system,” Baldoz added.
“We highly encourage our OFWs to take advantage of this innovative service. To sign up for BM Online Processing System, go to http://bmonline.poea.gov.ph/ or to POEA official webpage www.poea.gov.ph and click BM Online. Upon entry, they can start filling out the form, follow the instructions, and once they have completed signing up, they will receive a confirmation email from POEA,” Baldoz further said.
Baldoz added that the BM Online Processing System can be availed of by OFWs on vacation returning to the same employer/principal and jobsite, with employment visa/ work permit, have a record in the POEA database, and previously issued OEC/e-Receipt under the same employer/principal.
“This is one of our reforms initiated – the development of online systems – to make our services accessible and free to our clients. These technology-based facilities are designed and developed to optimize our service delivery. For the BM Online Processing System, falling in line for long hours is now a thing of the past. Now, the transaction can be done quickly and easily online,” Baldoz said.
OFWs who have further inquiries or questions about the BM online processing can send their email to bmpd@poea.gov.ph or bm_oec@yahoo.com or call (BMPD) 02-7210785 or (ICT) 02-7219496/02-7277778.