The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has officially rolled out the integration of the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) into the new OFW Travel Pass, marking a major step toward digitalizing services for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
In an announcement posted on Thursday, October 9, the agency said the Travel Pass — now available through the government’s eGovPH app — will serve as both documentation and exit clearance for balik-manggagawa workers, or those returning to the same employer and country.
“The OFW Travel Pass will serve as a digital pass for documentation and exit pass of OFWs. The OFW only needs a mobile phone to download the eGovPH application, follow the steps, and register their information,” the DMW said in a video statement.
The new system allows returning workers to generate a QR-coded digital pass directly from the app, eliminating the need for paper OECs. Workers can access it by downloading the eGovPH app, signing up with their email and mobile number, selecting the DMW option under the NGA tab, and clicking “Travel Pass” to generate their digital profile.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac earlier said the initiative is part of a pilot run of the eGovPH Super App, which aims to merge multiple government services into a single digital platform.
“Pina-pilot run ngayon yan, and hopefully, by the first day of next year or even possibly earlier, depending on the pilot run, ay maging ganap na siya talaga, lahat na ng returning workers, hopefully pati mga newly-hired workers, yun na yung outcome document,” Cacdac said during a recent event of the Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. (PASEI) in Pasay City.
He added that OFWs will still be registered under the DMW for monitoring and assistance, but the new digital pass now consolidates the traditional OEC functions.
“Nag-merge na ang e-travel pass at OEC. E-travel pass na ngayon. Basta may eTravel pass ang worker at cleared siya sa DMW, yun na yung pinakadokumento,” Cacdac said.
