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Republic Act No. 11299· Enacted 2019-04-17

Social Welfare Attaché Philippines (RA 11299) — BatasKo ELI5

Ano ang Social Welfare Attaché? Paano nila tinutulungan ang mga OFW sa distress? Simple explanation ng RA 11299 para sa lahat.

ELI5OFW Rightsofw-rightssocial-welfaredswd

Official text — Republic Act No. 11299

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Preamble

Seventeenth Congress

Third Regular Session

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-third day of July, two thousand eighteen.

REPUBLIC ACT No. 11299

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE FOR SOCIAL WELFARE ATTACHÉ, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8042, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "MIGRANT WORKERS AND OVERSEAS FILIPINOS ACT OF 1995", AS AMENDED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress Assembled:

Section 2 — , paragraph (b) of Republic Act No. 8042, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 2, paragraph (b) of Republic Act No. 8042, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows:

"(b) The State shall afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and promote full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all. Towards this end, the State shall provide adequate and timely social, economic and legal services to Filipino migrant workers, especially for workers who are vulnerable to physical, emotional, and psychological stress or abuse."

Section 2

Section 2.

A new paragraph (e) is hereby inserted in Section 23 of Republic Act No. 8042, as amended, to read as follows:

"(e) Department of Social Welfare and Development.— The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) shall deploy Social Welfare Attaches in countries with large concentration of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), as determined in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). The Social Welfare Attache shall possess the minimum qualifications set by the Civil Service Commission and the preferred qualifications prescribed by the DSWD.

"The Social Welfare Attache shall perform the following functions and duties at the overseas post:

"(e.1) Manage cases of OFWs and other overseas Filipinos in distress needing psychosocial services, such as victims of trafficking or illegal recruitment, rape or sexual abuse, maltreatment and other forms of physical or mental abuse, and cases of abandoned or neglected children;

"(e.2) Undertake surveys and prepare official social welfare situationers on the OFWs in the area of assignment;

"(e.3) Establish a network with overseas-based social welfare agencies and/or individuals and groups which may be mobilized to assist in the provision of appropriate social services;

"(e.4) Respond to and monitor the resolution of problems and complaints or queries of OFWs and their families;

"(e.5) Establish and maintain a data bank and documentation of OFWs and their families so that appropriate social welfare services can be more effectively provided;

"(e.6) Submit regular reports to the DSWD and DFA home office on plans and activities undertaken, recommendations, and updates on the situation of OFWs, particularly those encountering difficulties in the host country. Said report shall form part of the semi-annual report to Congress as provided imder Section 33 of Republic Act No. 8042, as amended;

"(e.7) Provide information about the DSWD and its attached agencies and services; and

"(e.8) Perform other related functions in the delivery of social services, as may be directed by the head of the Diplomatic Post in the area of assignment."

Section 3 — Appropriations.→

Section 3.

Appropriations.

-The Secretary of Social Welfare and Development shall include in the DSWD‘s programs the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

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Section 4 — Implementing Rules and Regulations.→

Section 4.

Implementing Rules and Regulations.

— The DSWD, in consultation with the DFA, DOLE, Department of Health, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and other relevant stakeholders, shall, within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, formulate the necessary rules and regulations for its effective implementation.

The DSWD shall also provide the criteria for determining the selection of Diplomatic Posts to which Social Welfare Attaches will be deployed and the minimum qualifications and attributes of the Social Welfare Attaches.

Section 5 — Separability Clause.→

Section 5.

Separability Clause.

— If, for any reason, any section or provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, other sections or provisions hereof shall remain in force.

Section 6 — Repealing Clause.→

Section 6.

Repealing Clause.

— All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules, regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of tins Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Show 1 more section +→
Section 7 — Effectivity.→

Section 7.

Effectivity.

— This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

(Sgd)

VICENTE C. SOTTO, III

President of the Senate

(Sgd)

GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act was passed by the House of Representatives as House Bill No. 8908 on February 4, 2019 and adopted by the Senate of the Philippines as an amendment to Senate Bill No. 1819 on February 6, 2019.

(Sgd)

MYRA MARIE D. VILLARICA

Secretary of the Senate

(Sgd)

DANTE ROBERTO P. MALING

Acting Secretary General

House of Representatives

(Sgd)

RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

President of the Philippines

Approved: April 17, 2019.

The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation

Full text on BatasKo. Original source: Official Gazette / Lawphil.

Naalala mo ba ang balita tungkol sa isang Pilipino sa abroad na nakulong nang walang tulong? O yung kaibigan mong nag-OFW na naabuso ng employer niya at hindi alam kung saan humingi ng tulong?

Doon pumapasok ang Social Welfare Attaché.

ELI5 Summary: Republic Act 11299, signed in 2019, creates the Office for Social Welfare Attaché — government social workers deployed by DSWD to Philippine embassies and consulates abroad. Their job: help OFWs in crisis. Trafficking victims, abuse survivors, abandoned children of OFWs — these are the people the Social Welfare Attaché is specifically trained to assist. Think of them as the DSWD, but stationed sa embahada.

Real Filipino Scenario: Ang Pamilya ni Joseph

Joseph ay isang taxi driver sa Cabanatuan, 44 taong gulang. Ang kanyang bunso, si Mara, ay nag-OFW sa isang bansa sa Middle East dalawang taon na ang nakakaraan bilang domestic helper.

Isang araw, tumigil si Mara sa pagpapadala ng mensahe. Wala nang sagot. Ayon sa isang kasamahan ni Mara, posibleng inabuso siya ng employer.

Hindi alam ni Joseph kung saan tatakbo. Wala siyang pera para lumipat agad papunta sa labas ng bansa.

Ano ang dapat gawin ni Joseph?

Maaari siyang makipag-ugnayan sa pinakamalapit na DMW regional office o tawagan ang OWWA hotline. Ang mga tanggapan na ito ay may direktang koneksyon sa Social Welfare Attaché sa bansang tinitirhan ni Mara. Ang Social Welfare Attaché — na itinatag ng RA 11299 — ang siyang magsasagawa ng case management para matukoy kung nasaan si Mara at kung anong tulong ang kailangan niya.

What the Law Actually Says

Republic Act No. 11299, na nilagdaan noong April 17, 2019, ay nagbabago ng ilang probisyon ng RA 8042 (ang Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995).

Ang dalawang pangunahing pagbabago:

Una, binago ng Section 1 ng RA 11299 ang Section 2(b) ng RA 8042 para palakasin ang pangako ng estado na magbigay ng "adequate and timely social, economic and legal services to Filipino migrant workers, especially for workers who are vulnerable to physical, emotional, and psychological stress or abuse."

Hindi ito bago sa salita lang — ito ay pormal na inilagay sa batas.

Pangalawa, ang Section 2 ng RA 11299 ay nagdaragdag ng bagong paragraph (e) sa Section 23 ng RA 8042. Ito ang puso ng batas: ang DSWD ay may mandatong mag-deploy ng Social Welfare Attachés sa mga bansang may malaking konsentrasyon ng OFWs.

Ang deployment ay tinutukoy sa koordinasyon ng DFA at DOLE.

Ang opisyal na tungkulin ng Social Welfare Attaché, ayon sa RA 11299 Section 2(e.1) hanggang (e.8):

  • Mangasiwa ng kaso ng mga OFW sa distress — kasama ang biktima ng trafficking, illegal recruitment, rape, sexual abuse, maltreatment, at abandonment ng bata
  • Magsagawa ng surveys at social welfare situationers sa lugar ng assignment
  • Bumuo ng network sa overseas-based social welfare agencies
  • Tumugon sa mga problema, reklamo, at katanungan ng OFWs at ng kanilang mga pamilya
  • Mag-maintain ng data bank ng OFWs para mas epektibo ang pagbibigay ng serbisyo
  • Mag-submit ng regular na ulat sa DSWD at DFA home office
  • Magbigay ng impormasyon tungkol sa DSWD at mga nakakabit na ahensiya
  • Magsagawa ng iba pang kaugnay na tungkulin, ayon sa direksyon ng pinuno ng Diplomatic Post

Ang qualifications ng Social Welfare Attaché ay itinakda ng Civil Service Commission at ng DSWD mismo.

What This Means for You

Para sa karaniwang Pilipino, ito ang pinakasimpleng paraan para intindihin ang RA 11299:

Dati, kung ang isang OFW ay naaabuso o nangangailangan ng social worker sa ibang bansa, walang espesipikong tao sa embahada na pormal na naatasan para doon.

Ngayon, mayroon na. At hindi lang basta embahada staff — pormal na social worker ito na may training sa psychosocial services, case management, at networking sa local welfare agencies abroad.

Para sa pamilya ng OFW dito sa Pilipinas, ibig sabihin nito: may opisyal na kakontak sa embahada na espesipiko para sa social welfare concerns. Hindi ka na kailangang kumausap ng iba't ibang opisyal bago makarating sa tamang tao.

Para sa mga OFW mismo, ang Social Welfare Attaché ay hindi isang babae o lalaki na dapat matakutan. Sila ay government social workers na naroroon para tumulong — lalo na sa pinakamahirap na sitwasyon.

Real Filipino Scenario: Ang Maling Akala ni Tomas

Si Tomas, 31 taong gulang, ay online seller sa Parañaque. Ang kanyang ate na si Ligaya ay nag-OFW sa Singapore bilang caregiver. Narinig ni Tomas ang tungkol sa bagong batas at nag-isip siya: "Pwede pala namin i-report kahit maliit na reklamo ni Ligaya — hindi naibigay ng employer yung day off, halimbawa — sa Social Welfare Attaché."

Nag-message agad siya sa embahada para mag-reklamo tungkol sa day-off issue.

Dito nagkamali si Tomas.

Ang Social Welfare Attaché ay pangunahing para sa mga krisis at distress situations — trafficking, abuse, abandonment, at katulad na malubhang sitwasyon. Para sa labor disputes tulad ng hindi naibigay na day off, ang tamang ahensiya ay ang POLO-OWWA (Philippine Overseas Labor Office at Overseas Workers Welfare Administration), hindi ang Social Welfare Attaché.

Ang tamang hakbang ni Tomas: I-report ang labor complaint ni Ligaya sa POLO sa Singapore, at i-document ang lahat ng hindi naibigay na benepisyo. Ang Social Welfare Attaché ay para sa kapakanan, hindi para palitan ang POLO sa labor disputes.

What Most Filipinos Get Wrong

Mali: "Ang Social Welfare Attaché ay lawyer na makakatulong sa legal cases ng OFW."

Tama: Ang Social Welfare Attaché ay social worker, hindi abogado. Ang kanilang expertise ay psychosocial services, case management, at pag-connect sa welfare resources. Para sa legal matters, may ibang opisyal sa embahada — o ang IBP (Integrated Bar of the Philippines) sa pamamagitan ng kanilang legal aid programs.

Mali: "Lahat ng embahada at konsulado ay may Social Welfare Attaché na."

Tama: Ayon sa Section 2 ng RA 11299, ang deployment ay sa mga bansang may malaking konsentrasyon ng OFWs, na tinutukoy sa koordinasyon ng DFA, DOLE, at DSWD. Hindi automatic na lahat ng post ay magkakaroon. Ang priority ay sa mga bansang maraming OFW — Middle East, Hong Kong, Singapore, atbp.

Mali: "Kapag nacontact ang Social Welfare Attaché, magiging libre na agad ang OFW sa abusibong employer."

Tama: Ang Social Welfare Attaché ay nag-mamanage ng kaso at nagko-coordinate — hindi sila may kapangyarihang mag-arrest o pumilit sa employer. Ang kanilang trabaho ay tiyakin na ang OFW ay may access sa mga serbisyo at suporta, at i-coordinate sa tamang ahensiya (pulis, embahada, POLO) depende sa kaso.

Mali: "Ang batas na ito ay para lang sa domestic helpers."

Tama: Ang RA 11299 ay sumasaklaw sa lahat ng OFW at overseas Filipinos — anuman ang trabaho. Kasama rin ang mga batang naiwanan o neglected na anak ng OFWs. Ang "overseas Filipinos in distress" ay malawak na kategorya.

What to Do if You or Your OFW Family Member Needs Help

  1. I-identify ang sitwasyon. Malubha ba (abuse, trafficking, abandonment)? Social Welfare Attaché ang tamang kontakt. Labor dispute (unpaid salary, kontrata)? POLO-OWWA ang puntahan.

  2. Makipag-ugnayan sa pinakamalapit na DMW o OWWA regional office sa Pilipinas. Mayroon silang direktang linya sa mga post abroad. Maaari ring tawagan ang OWWA hotline: 1348 (libre sa landline).

  3. I-contact ang Philippine Embassy o Consulate sa bansang tinitirhan ng OFW. Hanapin ang "Social Welfare Section" o "Filipino Workers Resource Center" sa kanilang website.

  4. I-document ang lahat. Kumuha ng kopya ng kontraho, mensahe, o ebidensya ng abuse bago pa man mag-report. Mas mabilis ang tugon kung may malinaw na impormasyon.

  5. Para sa emergency situations abroad (buhay ay nanganganib), i-contact agad ang pinakamalapit na Philippine Embassy at i-request ng emergency assistance — hindi lang ang Social Welfare Attaché, kundi ang buong Consular Section.

  6. Kung hindi ka makontak ng post abroad, mag-escalate sa DMW (Department of Migrant Workers) headquarters sa Maynila o sa DFA main office.

Related Laws

Mga Madalas Itanong / FAQ

Q: Sino ang pwedeng humingi ng tulong sa Social Welfare Attaché?

A: Anumang OFW o overseas Filipino na nangangailangan ng psychosocial o welfare assistance — biktima ng trafficking, abuse, maltreatment, o iba pang krisis. Pati na rin ang mga pamilya dito sa Pilipinas na naghahanap ng impormasyon tungkol sa kanilang mahal sa buhay na OFW.

Q: May bayad ba ang serbisyo ng Social Welfare Attaché?

A: Wala. Ang Social Welfare Attaché ay isang government official na binabayaran ng estado. Ang lahat ng serbisyo nila — case management, referrals, coordination — ay libre para sa mga OFW at kanilang pamilya.

Q: Paano malalaman kung may Social Welfare Attaché sa bansang tinitirhan ng aking kamag-anak?

A: Makipag-ugnayan sa Philippine Embassy o Consulate sa bansang iyon at itanong tungkol sa "Social Welfare Section." Maaari rin makipag-ugnayan sa DSWD main office o DMW para malaman kung may naka-deploy na Social Welfare Attaché sa bansang iyon.

Q: Kakaiba ba ang Social Welfare Attaché sa POLO-OWWA?

A: Oo. Ang POLO (Philippine Overseas Labor Office) ay pangunahing para sa labor concerns — kontrata, sahod, working conditions. Ang Social Welfare Attaché naman ay para sa social welfare at psychosocial concerns — krisis, abuse, trauma, at welfare ng bata. Magkaibang mandato, pero nagtatrabaho silang magkasama sa mga overlapping na kaso.

Q: Kailan naisakatuparan ang batas na ito?

A: Nilagdaan ng Pangulong Duterte ang RA 11299 noong April 17, 2019. Naging epektibo ito 15 araw pagkatapos ng publikasyon sa Official Gazette o sa isang pahayagan ng pangkalahatang sirkulasyon. Ang DSWD, kasama ang DFA, DOLE, DOH, POEA, OWWA, at iba pang stakeholders, ay binigyan ng 60 araw para gumawa ng Implementing Rules and Regulations.

Sources

  • Republic Act No. 11299 — An Act Establishing the Office for Social Welfare Attaché, Amending for the Purpose Republic Act No. 8042, Otherwise Known as the "Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995", as Amended, and for Other Purposes. Approved April 17, 2019. Available at: (archived at)

  • Republic Act No. 8042 — Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, as amended by RA 10022 (2010). Available at: https://www.dfa.gov.ph

  • Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) — Official mandate and programs. Available at: https://www.dswd.gov.ph

  • **Department of Migrant Workers (DMW)

RELATED RIGHTS

OFW Rights

Migrant Workers Act (RA 10022) Philippines — BatasKo ELI5

OFW Rights

OWWA Benefits Philippines 2016 — BatasKo ELI5

OFW Rights

OFW Handbook Rights Philippines 2019 — BatasKo ELI5

OFW Rights

Department of Migrant Workers Act (RA 11641) — BatasKo ELI5

Legal disclaimer: BatasKo provides general legal information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, consult a licensed Filipino lawyer or the Public Attorney's Office (PAO).

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