‘Sharp increase’ in OWWA application on Rota

The Philippine Consulate General has noted a sharp increase in the number of applications for Overseas Workers Welfare Administration membership among Filipino workers on Rota.

Consul General Medardo Macaraig said that a total of 116 OWWA applications were processed during the mobile consular services held at the Northern Marianas College Rota Campus last Oct. 1 and 2.

Macaraig led the team that included welfare officer Julia Fabian and staffers Violaflor Enerlan-Ancheta, Liza Dean, Antonio David, and Remily Oca.

In an interview, Macaraig disclosed that “a lot” of the OWWA applications processed were already expired and that Filipino workers were just waiting for the Consulate to bring the mobile services to Rota.

Macaraig is pleased because Filipino workers on Rota who renewed their OWWA memberships are preparing for two reasons: the possibility that they will be sent home once a qualified U.S. worker applies for their positions and to take advantage of the OFW Reintegration Loan program.

President Benigno Aquino III launched the P2-billion (about $45.724 million) OFW Reintegration Loan program, which would provide OFWs with loan amounts ranging from P300,000 to P2 million (about $6,800 to $46,000) at an interest rate of 7.5 percent per annum, during Migrant Workers Day on June 7.

The loan fund program is a joint venture of the Department of Labor and Employment, OWWA, Land Bank of the Philippines, and the Development Bank of the Philippines. OWWA gave P1 billion (about $22.967 million) while LBP and DBP each provided $500 million (about $11.4835 million) for the program.

“I’m happy on those two reasons,” Macaraig yesterday told Saipan Tribune.

While the CNMI law states that the last employer on record is responsible for the repatriation of the employee, Macaraig believes Filipino workers who renewed their OWWA memberships “want additional assurance” that they will be repatriated.

The Consul General said the team also processed 44 ePassport applications, 14 applications for reports of birth, and rendered notarial services for Filipinos on Rota.

Macaraig added that several Filipino workers requested for assistance in various cases, including assistance in their financial claims, especially those whose status will expire in November 2011.

“The Philippine Consulate General expresses its appreciation to Mayor and Mrs. Melchor Mendiola, the Filipino community of Rota led by Mr. Alejandro Badilles, and to Fr. Charlie Borja of the San Francisco de Borja Parish for the support and assistance extended to the consular team,” he said.

Macaraig disclosed that the next mobile consular services to be held on Rota and Tinian will offer the registration of qualified Filipino overseas absentee voters to allow them to vote for the senatorial elections in May 2013.

Registration begins on Oct. 31.

According to Macaraig, the Commission on Election office in Manila wants their office to conduct an outreach on the absentee voting registration.

But Macaraig pointed out that this would be “impractical” and “a waste of taxpayer’s money” given the current situation in the CNMI.

“The biggest concern now is the CW and visa applications as well as passport applications and renewal,” he said.

Macaraig requested Comelec that the budget for the absentee voting outreach event be disbursed on a later date “when those who will stay and don’t will finally be determined.”