The Insurance Commission (IC) is pushing for the inclusion of a compulsory overseas Filipino worker (OFW) insurance module in the predeparture orientation seminars (PDOS) conducted by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) for those who work or wish to work outside the country.
This will further inform OFWs of their insurance rights.
According to Insurance Commissioner Emmanuel F. Dooc, OFWs need to fully understand their insurance rights when working abroad.
The proposed compulsory insurance forms part of a set of recommendations by IC scholars sent to the Development Academy of the Philippines on what more can be done for the best interest and welfare of the insuring public.
“And so, one study, which is now under consideration, is the inclusion of the compulsory OFW insurance module in that predeparture order seminar being conducted by the various department of labor and employment agencies,” Dooc told financial reporters.
He further said the IC plans to conduct seminars on compulsory OFW insurance to further expand the knowledge of the employees working at the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) and the CFO, since they are the initial resource persons for the OFWs.
Dooc said a memorandum of agreement is currently being drafted to finalize the operations and the integration of the OFW compulsory insurance training module in PDOS.
“So now, we will require this orientation. We will prepare the training and the briefer to be made part of the program of the OWWA [Overseas Workers Welfare Administration] and the POEA.
Dooc said the program should gain the support of everyone, particularly the OFWs.
The IC chief further said they also plan insurance modules for passengers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) who are covered by a passenger personal-accident policy once they ride passenger buses or jeepneys.
“We can even expand this to the passenger personal-accident policy. You know that every public commuter is required to get this policy. But how many commuters of public passenger jeepneys or buses know that they have insurance cover? The commuters do not know that PUVs have compulsory insurance. They cannot register their vehicles unless they get that insurance,” Dooc said.