Overseas Filipino workers in Dubai and the Northern Emirates are expressing mounting frustration over the government’s online application system for its one-time AED 730 financial aid, with many unable to secure slots despite preparing their documents in advance and logging on exactly at the 8:00 A.M. opening time.
Comments flooding the Facebook pages of MWO-Dubai and The Global Filipino Magazine on Thursday, May 1, paint a picture of an application process that many OFWs say is adding stress to an already difficult situation. The concerns center on three issues: the limited number of slots per session, the narrow application window, and the technical difficulties that have prevented some from submitting at all.
Form 2, which opened today at 8:00 A.M., drew heavy traffic almost immediately, slowing the portal and triggering a Google Drive error for many applicants. A top official from the labor office confirmed to The Global Filipino Magazine that the system had not crashed, saying it was simply running slow due to the volume of simultaneous access attempts. By 8:21 A.M., 400 applications had already been logged — and the form closed within roughly an hour after all slots were filled.
The slot cap has drawn particular criticism. One commenter, Ar Chie, who identified himself as an OFW in Dubai, addressed the office directly, writing: “Sa daan daang libong narito sa UAE, 800+ lang yung slot? Wala pang 1% sa kabuuang bilang. Karamihan, kung hindi man po lahat, ng OFW ay apektado.” He added that despite repeatedly hitting the “try again” prompt on the portal, he was ultimately unable to submit his application.
The 8:00 A.M. opening time has also come under fire from workers whose schedules make it nearly impossible to apply. Sam Briana, another commenter, said she had helped friends prepare their documents only for the form to be inaccessible at the exact moment it opened. “Kawawa yung kasalukuyang mga nasa work especially schools n inaabangan n mag open at magtago pansmantala pra mkpag apply tpos wala din pla,” she wrote, calling on authorities to remove the time cutoff so that applicants could file before or after their shifts.
Others questioned the overall design of the system. Ayen Gumabao suggested the office remove the time limit entirely and allow MWO-Dubai to evaluate submissions at its own pace, saying the current setup forces applicants into what amounts to a race. “Parang di napagplanuhan ng maigi at naasa sa mga website na libre dami commercial nakakakaconfuse ung mga ikiclick,” she wrote, adding that the office should consider investing in a dedicated IT system. Einyl ZS echoed the call for a 24/7 application process and pushed for greater transparency, suggesting that a published list of successful applicants would help address growing doubts about the program.
The frustration over reach was a recurring theme. Jennylyn Esposo Jamili, whose comment drew 71 reactions, pointed out that with millions of OFWs affected by the Middle East crisis, the assistance being distributed does not even come close to covering half of those who need it. Asrucap Oiram, meanwhile, appealed directly to the office: “Kming mga nawalan ng trabaho, o mga iba pinagkakasya ang sahod na kinakaltasan, ngayon nami din kayo kailangan.”
MWO-Dubai has not issued a formal response to the criticisms as of posting. The next application window, Form 3, is scheduled to open on Tuesday, May 5, at 8:00 A.M., with the link to be posted on the MWO-Dubai website and Facebook page. Authorities have urged OFWs to have all required documents ready before the form goes live, as applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis and subject to the availability of funds from the DMW.
