OFW Journals (OFW Stories on the News) and Some OFW Employment, Career & Business Tips

Welcome to the SMEF-Center for Overseas Workers!

In response to the ever-increasing number of Filipinos seeking employment abroad and marrying foreign nationals, the Center for Overseas Workers (COW), a nonstock, nonprofit organization caters to the requirements and needs of Overseas Filipino Workers and families, Filipino spouses and other partners of foreign nationals leaving the country.

The Center was established in 1982 under the administration of the Good Shepherd Sisters (RGS). It is guided by the congregation’s inspiring philosophy of “One person is of more value than a world.” It is Security Exchange Commission (SEC) registered and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) licensed NGO. Its programs and services are accredited by DSWD..

SMEF-COW is accredited by the Commision on Filipino Overseas to conduct the guidance and counseling program to Filipino spouses and other partners of foreign nationals at our premises in Metro Manila and Cebu City. The guidance and couseling program is required by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Orders No. 28-94 and No. 11-97. The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) then issues the guidance and counseling certificate to clients who have satisfactorily completed the guidance and counseling requirements at SMEF-COW

Programs and Services
COW logo
The Center for Overseas Workers has five (5) Programs with the following services to OFWs and families and the Filipino Spouses and other partners of foreign nationals:

I. DIRECT SERVICES

* Temporary shelter for distressed women migrants. We call our Shelter Tuluyang Maria. It also provides counseling for the women OFW and
their families and the Filipino spouses of foreign nationals.

* Legal Advise/Para-legal assistance

* Counseling for distressed OFWs-women returnees and Filipino spouses/fiancee and other partners of foriegn nationals.

* Referral of clients to network organizations and agencies (NGOs and GOs) on the following cases and line of services: health, legal, verify status of recruitment agencies from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) for welfare and benefits, and the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) for labor-related cases; the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) "Assistance to Nationals," for repatriation and legal cases abroad, and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for trafficked women and reintegration, and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) issues and concerns of Filipino spouses/fiancee and other partners of foreign nationals;

* Educational Assistance

II. PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION

* Community and School based Informal Dissemination on Migration

* Guidance and Counseling Sessions for Filipino Spouses, Fiance(e)s and other partners of Foreign Nationals.

* Pre-Departure Orientation Seminars (PDOS) for domestic workers, caretakers, factory workers bound for Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, etc. and also for technical workers bound for USA.

* Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar for Overseas Performing Artists (OPAs) bound for Japan.

* Annual Summer Camp for children and relatives of OFWs and Filipino spouses/fiancee and other partners of foreign nationals.

* Faith, Life, Reflection Sessions – These sessions are integral components of the Programs and Services of the Center for Overseas Workers. The OFWs and their families and the Filipino spouses/fiancee and other partners of foreign nationals can reflect on what is happening in their lives and how migration and multicultural realities affect their everyday life. With this, they will understand the context of their situation and the proper means to address it.

* Publications and media interviews – The Center comes out with regular publications, The Overseas, and Kalakbay. It also produces comics that illustrate the history and the root of migration, and other issues confronting migrant workers and the Filipino people. It also holds interviews and press conferences to disseminate information regarding the rights and welfare of Filipino migrant workers.

III. SUPPORT TO ORGANIZING

* Advocacy and Lobby, Research, Publication and Documentation

* Conduct of conferences, forums and symposium on migration

IV. MICRO-FINANCE

* Re-integration Projects

V. NETWORKING AND LINKAGES

* The Center for Overseas Workers (COW) links with peoples organization (POs), non-government organizations (NGOs), government (Congress/Senate, DFA, CFO, DOLE, POEA, OWWA, NLRC, NAPC, Philhealth), dioceses, parishes, and communities here and abroad. Developing network and linkage with other organizations is essential to reach OFWs and their families in their broadest number. By doing so, the COW can share its resources with network organizations for the benefit of the Filipino people towards poverty alleviation and contribute to the development of our country.

More info at http://www.smef-cow-phil.org/