With the third application window for the Philippine government’s one-time AED 730 financial aid opening tomorrow, Tuesday, May 5, at 8:00 A.M., the labor office in Dubai is urging prospective applicants to review their documents carefully after data from Form 1 revealed that the majority of rejections were caused by avoidable paperwork errors.
Of the 822 applications received during Form 1 on April 28, 154 were disapproved — 45 permanently and 109 with the option to reapply. The full breakdown, shared exclusively with The Global Filipino Magazine by Labor Attaché Atty. John Rio A. Bautista, shows that document-related failures drove nearly six out of every ten rejections.
The top five reasons for disapproval
- Incomplete RFA Form — 40 cases (25.97%) The Request for Assistance Form was submitted but left incomplete. Every section of the form must be fully filled out before submission. The form is available at bit.ly/RFA-Form.
- Missing RFA Form — 34 cases (22.08%) Some applicants submitted their application without attaching the RFA Form at all. This alone accounted for more than one in five disapprovals.
- Incomplete Work Disruption Proof — 17 cases (11.04%) Applicants must submit at least one document proving that their work was disrupted by the ongoing Middle East crisis. Accepted documents include a signed certification from an employer or principal, pay slips showing salary reduction, a termination notice, a visa cancellation document, a notarized affidavit, or a Sariling Salaysay available at bit.ly/Salaysay-FA.
- Non-OFW status (non-employment visa holder) — 16 cases (10.39%) Sixteen applicants were found to be holding non-employment visas, making them ineligible for the program. The aid is strictly limited to landbased OFWs with employment visas issued in Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, or Umm Al Quwain.
- Missing or incomplete Emirates ID — 12 cases (7.79%) A valid Emirates ID is required not just as part of the application but also for collecting the cash grant at any Al Ansari Exchange branch. Applicants must upload a copy of their Emirates ID into the application portal before submitting.
Other grounds for disapproval
Beyond the top five, additional reasons for rejection included no demonstrable work disruption (11 cases), work disruption that occurred prior to the current crisis (9 cases), having already received financial assistance before (3 cases), missing work disruption proof as a separate category (3 cases), being outside the office’s jurisdiction (2 cases), multiple submissions (2 cases), already being in the Philippines (2 cases), an unreadable passport (2 cases), and missing proof of employment (1 case).
What to prepare before applying tomorrow
To avoid disapproval, applicants should ensure they have all four required documents ready before the form opens at 8:00 A.M.:
- Accomplished RFA Form — fully completed, available at bit.ly/RFA-Form
- Copy of passport bio page — must be clear and readable
- At least one proof of overseas employment — contract, visa, Emirates ID, or labor card
- At least one proof of work disruption — termination letter, pay slips, visa cancellation, notarized affidavit, or Sariling Salaysay
Applicants are also reminded to submit only once — multiple submissions result in automatic and permanent disqualification. Ensure that your passport and Emirates ID are valid, as both will be required when collecting the approved cash grant at any of Al Ansari Exchange’s 286 branches across the UAE.
What to expect
Given that Form 1 closed in 20 minutes and Form 2 in 57 minutes, slots for Form 3 are expected to fill quickly. The form link will be posted on the MWO-Dubai Facebook page ahead of the 8:00 A.M. opening. Results will be sent within three days to the email address registered during submission — no follow-up is necessary. A fourth form is also scheduled for release this Friday, May 8, maintaining the twice-a-week schedule the office has kept since the program launched on April 28.
