OWWA bares new service for OFWs

June 27, 2006 by reyna11
Filed under: OFW Life & Issues

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The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and Microsoft Corp. announced a partnership for a communication service that will allow overseas Filipino workers to digitally remit their earnings and speak with their families utilizing the most cost-effective technologies.

“Many OFWs spend as much as $100 a month to simply stay connected,” said Marianito Roque, the OWWA administrator. “This new service will significantly reduce those costs by utilizing available WiFi and VoIP services to turn an international call into a free or local call. For Filipino seamen, in particular, this is quite significant because many of their host ships are WiFi-enabled.”

The tie-up will provide global communication services to OFWs through low cost, long-term loans to purchase Windows 5.0 phones that they could use in their country of employment.

The project is part of the program launched by OWWA and Microsoft in April, which provides personal computers to OFW families through OWWA’s family assistance loans (FAL). The first phase of this trial with OFWs is currently underway.

The service will utilize Microsoft Office Live Communications Server (LCS) and a Microsoft Communicator-based User Interface (UI), in which OFWs can interact with their families via distant messaging and VoIP.

Participating OFWs and their beneficiaries may be provided with debit bankcards and digital accounts powered by Microsoft Windows Live ID under the partnership.

Microsoft said the digital accounting would allow OFWs to digitally transfer remitted funds directly to their designated recipients using either the Windows Mobile 5.0 phones or PCs, eliminating secondary remittance fees that are typically charged to send and receive money.

Last year, regular remittances from OFWs amounted $10.7 billion, or 10 percent of the Philippine annual gross domestic product.

Currently, there are estimated 8 million OFWs working in different parts of the world and growing at a rate of 50,000 a month, according to OWWA, making the program a boon to overseas workers and their families.

Source: ABS-CBN News

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Comments

2 Comments on OWWA bares new service for OFWs

eu-leh on Wed, 28th Jun 2006 6:12 am

are these services already implemented or press release na naman ng owwa? ang website nga ng owwa http://www.owwa.gov.ph hindi maasikaso, almost a year ng “down for maintenance!” I hope, it this will be implemented, will really benefit OFWs.

[Reply]

Reyna Elena on Wed, 28th Jun 2006 10:51 am

You know, OWWA has a really really bad press and it’s got a really bad name on the gov.ph board. I’ve read so many nasty crap about this organization, especially how employees of OWWA treats OFW’s. I’m not really very familiar of OWWA - only from reading those posting on the gov.ph board, but I would not be surprised if they would partner with Microsoft having such a bad name, they have to attached themselves to someone with a lot of credibility. But then again, Microsoft is gunning for numbers and dollars so, OFW’s is really the one that Microsoft is gunning for and is just using OWWA for that purpose. To each his own, they have their own strategy.

But read their press release “The project provides personal computers to OFW families through OWWA’s family assistance loans (FAL). The service will utilize Microsoft Office Live Communications Server (LCS) and a Microsoft Communicator-based User Interface (UI), in which OFWs can interact with their families via distant messaging and VoIP. Participating OFWs and their beneficiaries may be provided with debit bankcards and digital accounts.”

They will LOAN a personal computer to OFW families. They’ll give them DEBIT CARDS and an OLINE or DIGITAL ACCOUNT.

Anong kabalbalan to? How excellent is this project? Sino bang gunggung ang nag-isip nito? Microsoft ba kamo? Ganito ba katalino ang mga Microsoft?

They all start with LOW COST. FREE SERVICE. WHATEVER!

I think OWWA is simply out to make money sa mga OFW’s plain and simple. At eto namang Microsoft wala nang maisip na intelehenteng serbisyo para sa mga kapwa natin! It’s not a freaking service!!!! You can get this service free. Where?

It’s free on YAHOO.
It’s free on Skype.

What they need to do is create a program to empower and teach OFW’s how to use computers, the internet and the new technology - hindi yong pahihiramin nang computer AT BIBIGYAN NANG DEBIT CARD para talagang mahuthutan nang todo ang mga OFW’s!

[Reply]

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