A one-time financial assistance of Two Hundred US Dollars (US$200) or Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000), or its equivalent in the local currency of the host country, for displaced Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) has been approved. On 8 April 2020, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) issued Department Order No. 212, series of 2020, providing for guidelines on the provisional financial assistance for displaced landbased and seabased Filipino workers due to the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19). This social amelioration program is called “DOLE-AKAP for OFWs” (separate from the CAMP and TUPAD#BKK for Philippine-based workers). The coverage and application procedure for displaced OFWs, based on D.O. 212, are discussed below.
I. COVERAGE
The DOLE-AKAP for OFWs covers both documented, undocumented and repatriated OFWs, as well as Balik-Manggagawa, provided they comply with the requirements.
A. Regular / Documented OFW, as defined in the 2016 Revised POEA Rules and Regulations, refers to those:
- i. who possess a valid passport and appropriate visa or permit to stay and work in the receiving country; and
- ii. whose contract of employment has been processed by the POEA or the POLO.
B. Qualified Undocumented OFW:
- i. who were originally regular or documented workers but for some reason or cause have thereafter lost their regular or documented status;
- ii. who are not registered with the POEA or whose contracts were not processed by POEA or the POLO, but have undertaken actions to regularize their contracts or status; or
- iii. who are not registered with the POEA or whose contracts were not processed by POEA or the POLO, but are active OWWA members at the time of availment.
C. Balik-Manggagawa who are unable to return to host country in view of host country lockdown due to COVID19.
II. ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for the DOLE-AKAP, the recipients:
1. Must have experienced job displacement due to the receiving country’s imposition of lockdown or community quarantine or having been infected by the disease;
2. Must be still at overseas jobsites, or in the Philippines as Balik-Manggagawa, or already repatriated to the Philippines; and
3. Must not receive any financial support / assistance from the receiving countries / employers.
[Note that the OFW must have experienced “job displacement”. One of the requirements is “proof of loss of employment on account of COVID19,” which means that the financial assistance is available only if the OFW lost his/her employment or no longer has any work abroad because of COVID19. In other words, OFWs who are still employed, even if under a “no work, no pay” arrangement, are not covered.]
III. PRIORITY COUNTRIES / TERRITORIES FOR ONSITE OFWs
The DOLE shall provide financial assistance to qualified OFWs from the following countries with Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) presence and/or are heavily affected by COVID19:
Middle East and Africa
- 1. Bahrain
- 2. Israel
- 3. Jordan
- 4. Kuwait
- 5. Lebanon
- 6. Libya
- 7. Oman
- 8. Qatar
- 9. Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of
- 10. United Arab Emirates
Asia and the Pacific
- 1. Australia
- 2. Brunei
- 3. Hong Kong
- 4. Japan
- 5. Korea
- 6. Macau
- 7. Singapore
- 8. Taiwan
- 9. Malaysia
- 10. New Zealand
Europe and Americas
- 1. Canada
- 2. Cyprus
- 3. Italy
- 4. Germany
- 5. Greece
- 6. Spain
- 7. Switzerland
- 8. United Kingdom of Great Britain
- 9. United States of America
IV. APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR ON-SITE OFWS
1. OFWs shall submit the following to the POLOs:
- a. Accomplished Application Form for Special Cash Assistance, downloadable at the POLO’s website/social media account (see also www.dole-akap.owwa.gov.ph);
- b. Copy of Passport or Travel Document;
- c. Proof of overseas employment, i.e., valid verified overseas employment, OEC, residence I.D.s, visa /re-entry visa, among others, or permit to stay in the receiving country;
- d. Proof of loss of employment on account of COVID19; and
- e. For OFWs who became undocumented through no fault of their own, proof that the OFW is currently involved in an ongoing case (e.g., case reference number, case endorsement stamped by POLO, among others).
2. After submission of complete documents, the POLOs shall evaluate the application within 5 working days, and notify the OFW on the status of his/her application within 5 working days.
3. If the application is approved, the POLO shall release the USD200.00 through bank transfer / money remittance.
V. APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR OFWS WHO HAVE BEEN REPATRIATED / BALIK-MANGGAGAWA
1. OFWs who have been repatriated to the Philippines and Balik-Manggagawa shall submit the following to the OWWA Regional Welfare Offices (RWOs):
- a. Accomplished Application Form for Special Cash Assistance, downloadable at the www.dole-akap.owwa.gov.ph;
- b. Copy of Passport or Travel Document;
- c. Proof of overseas employment, i.e,. valid verified overseas employment, OEC, residence I.D.s, visa / re-entry visa, among others, or permit to stay in the receiving country; and
- d. Proof of loss of employment on account of COVID19.
2. After submission of complete documents, the RWOs shall evaluate the application within 5 working days, and notify OFWs on the status of his/her application within 5 working days.
3. If the application is approved, the DOLE Regional Office shall release the P10,000 through money remittance / Peso Net.
[Note: For Filipino workers in the formal sector affected by the ECQ, see 5,000 Pesos Assistance for Workers under the COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP)]
- Extension of Filing Periods and Suspension of Hearings for March 29 to April 4, 2021: SC Administrative Circular No. 14-2021 (Full Text) - March 28, 2021
- ECQ Bubble for NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal: Resolution No. 106-A (Full Text) - March 27, 2021
- Guidelines on the Administration of COVID-19 Vaccines in the Workplaces (Labor Advisory No. 3) - March 12, 2021
Dito po aq sa uae at isa din po aq sa apektado ng covid 19 . Open po ba ang dubai consulate at nag accept po ba cla ng mga requirements pra sa DOLE-AKAP for OFW?
Hi Lorden. Hindi namin masasagot kung bukas sila. Siguro malalaman natin paglabas nung iba pang detalye galing sa DOLE. Good luck.
Hi ako po si milagrosa Glenda. P. Alvero. Gumaca, Quezon. Dito po aq sa Amman jordan. Kakabalik ko lng po sa employer ko last January. Paano ko po madadala sa polo need na documents. Lock down po.
Hello Glenda. Pakibasa na lang po ang sagot sa itaas. Good luck.
Binasa po ko ung NASA taas. Gusto ko lng itanong. Bakit kelangan mag punta kami sa polo owwa. Para eh submit documents. Eh lock down nga po. Lock down po. At my curfew Wala taxi. Maglalakad pwude Para di pa nakakarating sa polo anjan na curfew. Multa at Kulong pag nahuli. 10k na galing polo kulang pa pang multa. Lalo na Wala aasahan pamilya ko sa pinas. Dpt sa maayos na paraan kau mag bibigay ng AYUDA. Di ung pahirap Para lng maka kuha ng tulong galing sa polo.
Hi Glenda. Sinabi sa Guidelines na “submit”, at hindi pa malinaw kung pwede online. Hintayin natin ang update mula sa DOLE o OWWA. Naintindihan naman siguro nila ang kalagayan ng mga tao, kaya halimbawa yung sa CAMP, pwede online. Idadagdag sa post kung makita na natin ang update. Good luck.
hi pano poh mag apply ng form balik manggagawa poh ako to dammam saudi pero cancel ang pag alis ko dahil sa covid19
bakit po ganun ang hirap mag file ng documents ndi po ma ulpoad ang mga hinihingi nyo panu po ba?ofw from hk po pangalwa subok ko ndi na lumabas ang link kung san ako nakatira
Hi Michelle. Sorry at hindi namin malalaman kung paano mag-upload dahil wala naman kaming impormasyon na i-fill up sa unang page bago mapindot ang “next”. Siguro mas mainam kung yung ibang nag-try at gumana, pwedeng i-share dito paano nila ginawa. Good luck.
Pano po mag additional requirement sa dole akap. Nka send na po ako ng application pro kulang requirment. Pag ng send ako uli ng reply na application already exist. Pano po gagawin.
Have a nice day to all,kailngan po tlga pupunta sa polo to submit all the requirements? Thank you?
Hi Jenalyn. Pakibasa na lang po ang sagot sa parehong tanong sa itaas. Good luck.
Have a nice day to all,kailngan po tlga pupunta sa polo to submit all the requirements? Thank you?
hi po ako po si Joniezard T. Corpuz nasa kingdom of saudi arabia po ako dito sa riyadh..makaka avail po bah ako sa financial assistance kasi no work no pay po kami…
Hi Jonie. Pakibasa na lang po ang sagot sa parehong tanong na nasa itaas. Good luck.
Hello po.. ako mark isang seaman.. makakuha ba ako ng tulong dole akap dahil nàbutan po ako ng lockdown dto sa pinas.. d natuloy ang alis ko dahil sa lockdown..pro wala pko napirmahang kontrata dka wala pang flight details..first week jan. Nko dto sa pinas. Sa amoeleration ng government nd po ako pasok… sa dole may tulong ba sila sa amin?
Hello po,, pwede din po ba ako mka avail sa 10k, na ofw po ako dati..kakauwe kulang nung Oct.2019 ,tapos nag apply ulit ako, for pdos na sana ako ,kaso naabutan ako ng lockdown..salamat po
Hello po. Isa akong ofw sa qatar flight ko po sana nung march 30 kaso nalockdown. ako possible po ba na mkakuha ako. Ng 10k.
Hi Lyrra. Kailangan itanong yan sa DOLE kasi ang Guidelines, requirement na nawalan ng trabaho. Good luck.
Good day po..paano po b makakuha ng form sa dole-akap for ofws..ako po si Rose Marie J.Dalumbar noong january p po ako sa pilipinas at naabutan ng lockdown until now andito p rin matagal n pong naka stay sa bahay hindi makabalik dahil sa covid-19.seeking for help-financial assistance man sana..thanks and god bless to us.
Good day po..
SA PINAS PO DIPO BINIGAN NG SAC ANG KA LIVE IN KONA CONSTRUCTION WORKER AT MY ANAK PO KAMI NG GAGATAS,KASI PO ANDITO DAW AKO SA ABROAD.IN SHORT MAY OFW KAYA DI SYA NAKA SALI SA AYUDA NG DSWD ..
9months napo ako dito sa Jordan manicurista po ako sa salon 3 weeks na po wla work sahod ko po nung 6 pero wala binigay amo ko..Pero ang papel ko po ay DH..makaka avail po ba ako ng ayuda..? Salamat po..
Hi Razelle. Sabi sa guidelines, kailangan magsumite ng pruweba na NATANGGAL sa trabaho. Malamang may paglilinaw na ibibigay ang DOLE tungkol dito. The post will be updated when we see clarifications from DOLE or any other additional information (including the Application Form). Good luck.
paano po makukuha yung form.
paano kmi mkakapunta sa mga regional office alam nyo namang lockdown at walang masasakyan
Hi June, Fred. Sabi sa Guidelines, “submit”. Hintayin natin ang paglilinaw ng DOLE o OWWA. Baka naman pwede online tulad ng sa CAMP. Idagdag natin sa post kung may update na. Good luck.
Saan po esend yung requirements?
Hello gud morning po.ask ko lng po if qualified po ba ako na naterminate sa trabaho dahil sa nagbabawas ng tao dahil sa covid?
Hi Anthony. Mukhang ang mga natanggal dahil sa covid-19 ang pakay ng AKAP. Kailangan lang ng katunayan ng pagkatanggal sa trabaho, kasama na ang ibang requirements na nakalista sa Guidelines. Good luck.
Hello po Sir.qualified po ba yung umuwi ng Pinas or ngbreak contract dahil Temporary close ang work place due to covid-19?
Hello po,ask ko lang po kung maka avail ako sa financial assistance,kc po bago po ako umuwi dito sa pinas nung March 14 nagpirma po ako new contract..kaso po dahil sa covid naabutan po ako ng lockdown dipo ako nakapag process agad pabalik kaya nag backout po ang employer ko…ano po dapat gawin ko?salamat.
Hi Selna, Roderick. Ang definition ng “Balik-Manggagawa” ay: “who are unable to return to host country in view of host country lockdown due to COVID19.” Kailangan rin magsumite ng katunayan na nawala ang trabaho dahil sa covid. Good luck.