Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – BALIK-MANGGAGAWA (BM) PROCESSING

WHO ARE CONSIDERED BALIK-MANGGAGAWA(BM)?

• Worker-on-Leave – a worker who is on vacation or on leave from employment under a valid and existing employment contract and who is returning to the same employer, regardless of any change in jobsite, to finish the remaining unexpired portion of the contract.
• Rehire - a worker who was rehired by the same employer after finishing his/her
  contract and who is returning to the same employer, regardless of a change in jobsite.
• POLO registered worker - a returning worker whose employment contract was not processed with the POEA but was subsequently verified and registered with the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in the jobsite and who is returning to the same employer either as a worker-on-leave or rehire, regardless of any change in jobsite.
  Same employer / principal refer to the employer named in the employment contract previously processed with the POEA, or registered with the POLO at the jobsite.

WHAT ARE THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR BM PROCESSING?

• Proof of existing employment (such as valid employment contract, employment certificate, valid company ID, pay slips)
• Passport valid for at least 6 months from the time of departure
• Valid visa / re-entry permit / work permit or equivalent document

WHAT ARE THE FEES?

POEA processing fee         -    PHp 100.00

OWWA membership fee    -    US$25 or its peso equivalent (per contract basis)

PhilHealth                           -    PHp 900.00 (good for 1 year coverage)

Pag-Ibig membership          -    PHp 100 (minimum)

WHAT IS THE VALIDITY PERIOD OF BM e-RECEIPT / OEC?

SIXTY (60) days from date of issuance; ONE (1) day for OECs issued by the Labor Assistance Centers (LACs) at the airports.

WHAT HAPPENS IF BM e-RECEIPT / OEC IS LOST?


A lost BM e-receipt / OEC shall not be replaced by another e-receipt / OEC. A worker who lost his/her BM e-receipt/OEC shall be issued a certification indicating the particulars of the e-receipt/OEC previously issued to him/her, based on available POEA/POLO records, upon submission of an Affidavit of Loss. This certification shall serve as travel exit clearance for the worker's departure to return to his/her jobsite, in lieu of the lost e-receipt/OEC but may not be honored for travel tax and airport terminal fee exemption unless otherwise allowed by the concerned offices / entities.


WHAT IF BM E-RECEIPT / OEC EXPIRES BEFORE USAGE?

An expired BM e-receipt/OEC shall be replaced only upon submission of all the copies of the expired exit clearance and payment of the required BM processing fee of PHp100.00. In case the PhilHealth and OWWA membership of the worker has already expired at the time of replacement, payment for the renewal of PhilHealth and OWWA membership shall also be required.

Request for replacement of expired e-receipts/OEC shall be allowed only within a period of one (1) month from date of expiration. Otherwise, the application shall be treated as a new request for processing and must be supported by compliance with all the requirements for processing and issuance of BM e-receipt/OEC.

WHAT IS A MULTIPLE TRAVEL EXIT CLEARANCE (MTEC)?

MTEC is a single issuance of travel exit clearance good for at least 3 exits within the validity period of the existing contract of the worker whose contract with the same employer has a duration of not less than twelve (12) months from the date of application for travel exit clearance. MTEC shall strictly be used for travel to the worker's jobsite.

WHO CAN APPLY FOR MTEC?

1. Workers whose nature of work and employment contract allow the worker multiple exit from the jobsite and re-entry to the Philippines for at least three (3) times within a period of one (1) year during the duration of his/her employment contract;
2. Filipino cabin crew and flight attendants of commercial aircrafts who are joining their operational flights outside of the country, and who are not in possession of permanent resident visa issued by their foreign host countries; and
3. Other categories of returning workers whose contract of employment provides frequent scheduled vacations or rotational leave
   
   

HOW MUCH IS THE COST OF MTEC?

POEA processing fee of PHp100.00

WHAT ABOUT VACATIONING WORKERS WHO LEFT AS TOURISTS AND WHOSE CONTRACTS WERE NOT SUBSEQUENTLY VERIFIED AND REGISTERED WITH THE POLO AT THE JOBSITE?

Undocumented / irregular workers will be documented as Balik-Manggagawa, provided that that they are returning to the same employer, and subject to their compliance with the documentary requirements and payment of prescribed fees for balik-manggagawa processing. Otherwise, they will be documented as (BM) Name Hire.

WHAT ABOUT VACATIONING WORKERS WHO CHANGED EMPLOYERS?

If their contracts with their new employers were not subsequently verified and registered with the POLO on-site, vacationing workers who changed employers will not be documented as balik-manggagawa. They will be documented as (BM) Name Hire at the Name Hire Unit.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR (BM) NAME HIRE PROCESSING?

• Proof of existing employment (such as valid employment contract, employment certificate, valid company ID, pay slips)
  • For Household Service Workers (HSWs), employment contract compliant with the minimum salary requirement of US$400 for HSWs shall be required
  • Valid visa / re-entry permit / work permit or equivalent document
  • Passport valid for at least six (6) months from the time of departure
  • PDOS (not required / optional)
  • Medical certificate of fitness to work FOR THOSE WHOSE HOME LEAVE EXCEEDS FIVE (5) MONTHS AT THE TIME OF (BM) NAME HIRE PROCESSING

WHAT ARE THE FEES FOR (BM) NAME HIRE PROCESSING?

POEA processing fee         -    US$100 or its peso equivalent

OWWA membership fee    -    US$25 or its peso equivalent

PhilHealth                           -    PHp 900.00 (good for 1 year coverage)

Pag-Ibig membership          -    PHp 100 (minimum)

ARE PERMANENT RESIDENT VISA HOLDERS REQUIRED TO SECURE OEC?

No, they are not. Only those leaving on work/employment visa are required to secure POEA travel exit clearance. Permanent residents / immigrants leaving on immigrant or permanent visa shall not be processed by the POEA but should register with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO).

WHERE CAN BM OEC's BE SECURED?

• Balik-Manggagawa Processing Division (BMPD) – POEA main office
• POEA Regional Centers – Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao
• POEA Regional Extension Units / Satellite Offices
  • Labor Assistance Centers (LAC) – at international airports in Manila, Cebu and Mindanao. (OEC issuance at LACs is limited to those classified as regular balikmanggagawa - vacationing workers, rehires, POLO-registered workers - with confirmed airline bookings on the date of request of BM OEC issuance, and whose home leave does not exceed FIVE (5) days. (BM) Name Hires cannot be issued BM OEC at the LACs.)
  • Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLO)
    
    
  WHAT ARE THE PROCESSES INVOLVED IN BM PROCESSING?
  There are three (3) options in BM processing:

Option 1.
One Day Processing


Option 2.

Two Days Processing, wherein BM procedures are cut into two (2) phases, with short waiting time for both phase 1 and phase 2, instead of one day processing where the queues and waiting time are long. Under this option, the worker shall come back for his travel exit clearance the following day, at the same time of application filing. For example, if the worker files his/her application on Monday, between 8:00-10:00 a.m. his/her appointed day and time to claim his/her document is on the following day, Tuesday, also between 8-10 a.m.; if worker comes between 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., his/her appointed time for the following day to claim his document will also be between 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.; if worker comes between 2:00 – 5:00 p.m., his/her appointed time for the following day to claim his/her document will also be between 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Option 3.

Door-to-Door Delivery Service, wherein workers just file their applica- tions and have their travel exit clearance delivered to their homes thru Teleserve, a private courier(door-to-door) service provider which has an office within the premises of the Balik-Manggagawa Processing Division.

Teleserve delivery fee is a flat rate of PHp220 within Metro Manila and the provinces. Delivery is 3 days within Metro Manila; 5 days for provincial deliveries.

WHAT ARE THE PROCESSES INVOLVED IN OPTIONS 2 AND 3:

In both options, BM procedures have 2 phases:

Phase 1    Phase 2

FOR PERSONAL PICK UP

1. Worker fills up Info Sheet                                         1. Worker presents his/her Claim Stub /
   (Pre-numbered forms are avai-                        Return Slip at the designated RELEASING
   lable at the BMAD Entrance.    Window on the day and time indicated
2. Worker submits accomplished    in the Claim Stub / Return Slip.
   Info Sheet, with documentary    2. Worker's documents are released. (He /
   requirements at designated    she signs the Claim Stub / Return Slip
   Windows.    which is collected at RELEASING upon
3. RECEIVING checks documents    release of documents).
   for completeness and compliance    3. Worker proceeds to designated
   with requirements.    Assessment Windows for assessment.
4. On-line database verification    of fees.
   to check data on worker and    3. Payment of fees at designated Cashier
   and employer.    Windows.
   4. Release of the BM travel exit clearance.
   If the worker is not a regular Balik-
   manggagawa as herein defined,
   he/she will be referred to the Name    FOR DOOR-TO-DOOR SERVICE DELIVERY
   Unit for (BM) Name Hire processing.    r
   Worker's travel exit clearance shall be
   If documents are deficient or not in        delivered to the worker's designated
   order, worker will be referred to the     home address via courier service.
   Supervisor, or concerned office for
   compliance of deficient document/s.
   5. Issuance of Claim Stub/Return Slip, if worker is a regular BM.
   If worker opts home delivery, he will
   be referred to Teleserve for courier service.

Source:

http://www.poea.gov.ph/