DMW Calls on Heirs of Unpaid Saudi OFWs for Documentation Submission

MANDALUYONG CITY – The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is reaching out to the heirs and beneficiaries of deceased overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were left unpaid by their employers in Saudi Arabia following the bankruptcy of several companies between 2015 and 2016. These family members are now required to provide documents verifying their relationship to the deceased workers to claim due compensation.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DMW has detailed the necessary steps for these heirs in Advisory No. 5, series of 2024, issued on Tuesday. The advisory mandates the submission of legal affidavits and public documents, such as birth and marriage certificates, to establish familial ties with the deceased OFW claimants. Additionally, it specifies the creation of a special power of attorney (SPA) to nominate a representative for receiving the funds in their bank account upon the processing and clearance of indemnity checks.

The DMW is set to determine the rightful executors or heirs after the receipt and verification of these documents, facilitating the endorsement and processing of checks for deposit. This initiative is part of an agreement with the Landbank of the Philippines (LandBank) and the Overseas Filipino Bank (OFBank) to efficiently manage the distribution of indemnity checks from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the families of the unpaid OFWs.

Advisory No. 5 serves as a complementary guideline to the memorandum of agreement (MOA) with these banks, aiming to streamline the encashment process for widows and other survivors. It also addresses the issue of checks issued from November to December of the previous year becoming stale, ensuring that the heirs do not miss out on their entitlements.

Heirs are instructed to submit the required documents to the Office of the Director for Internal Audit Services at the Blas F. Ople Building on Ortigas Avenue, with a deadline for the first batch of submissions set for April 15, 2024. Dates for subsequent batches will be announced at a later time.

For further inquiries, the DMW encourages survivors and heirs to contact their group leaders or the department directly through its hotline at +63 9205171059 or via email at [email protected].