Filipino e-cards to be processed

Gulf Daily News, Vol XXVII no.110, Thursday 8 July 2004

FILIPINO officials are in Bahrain to process the Electron Cards (e-cards) for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

UAE-based Equitable PCI Bank country manager Walter Lim and marketing representative Daniel Manaay are here until Sunday to begin processing the over 400 applications collected since their last visit earlier this year.

They will be working out of the Philippine Embassy's labour office, in Zinj.

The e-card is proof that the bearer is a legitimate and documented OFW and a member of the Overseas Workers' Welfare Administration (OWWA).

It was launched by the Philippines' Department of Labour and Employment, the OWWA, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Visa Electron and Equitable PCI Bank.

Aside from serving as identity cards, the multi-function e-cards can be used to access Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) by members who have (Philippine) Peso saving accounts with Equitable PCI Bank.

Overseas, the cards can be used to maintain personal savings accounts to enable OFWs to remit or save money under the same account.

E-cards will also eventually replace the overseas employment certificates and will be used for exit and immigration clearance of OFWs at Philippine airports.

About 2,000, out of an estimated 28,000 Filipinos in Bahrain, are registered e-card holders.

I'm encouraging all OFWs in Bahrain, who are not yet members of OWWA or whose membership has expired, to renew or activate their membership with us, said embassy welfare officer four and attaché Hassan Jumdain.

The embassy is arranging for Mr Lim and Mr Manaay, who are both based in the UAE, to come to Bahrain for at least a week, every three months, throughout the year.

Filipinos can come to the embassy from 8am to 3pm today and Sunday; and from 9am to 4pm tomorrow and Saturday.

Application forms are available at the embassy. For further information, contact 17246300.