+ A
A -
Ailyn Agonia
Doha
PHILIPPINE Overseas Labor Office (POLO) will have a new office at Al Jazeera Tower in West Bay area soon.
The new POLO processing office will be operational in the middle of March, Philippine Labour Attache to Qatar HE David Des Dicang told Qatar Tribune.
The current office of POLO will, however, be retained and function as Migrant Workers and Other Filipino Resources Center (MWOFRC), the official added.
The new office has a spacious receiving area while the high-rise building itself is strategically located in the heart of West Bay near the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and other key establishments including City Center Doha and a number of hotels.
Dicang highlighted the importance of securing a new office for POLO in ensuring the convenience of the nationals and other guests in transacting with the Philippine government office.
The major functions of the Philippine agency which will be done in the new office once the transfer is complete include its frontline services such as SSS (Social Security System) services, Pag-Ibig Fund services (Home Development Mutual Fund), OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) membership services and OEC (overseas employment certificate) online registration services.
"The main functions of POLO are verification of employment contracts and manpower requests, job orders submitted by companies and recruitments/ placement agencies, verification of employment certificates and verification of employment documents of vacationing workers. Another key function of the office is attending to labour, welfare and employment concerns of company workers and household service workers. All these will be carried out at the new processing office," Dicang said.
Meanwhile, the current POLO office to be known as 'MWOFRC' will be further developed. The United Filipino Organizations in Qatar (UFOQ), the community's umbrella group, is planning to assist in the development of the facility. Putting up a mini library, free call centres and better training facilities are part of the plans.
POLO regularly conducts a number of livelihood and professional development trainings benefitting hundreds of nationals annually. The training courses include baking and basic computer courses.
"We support POLO's efforts to improve its services. We understand that by transferring its office component, POLO frees up space for both the Filipino workers resource centre and its frontline services. While it is expected that the transfer will decongest the premises of POLO, we also hope that new premises will enhance the accessibility of its services to both Filipinos and Qataris alike," said Charge d'Affaires at Philippine Embassy, Doha, Roussel Reyes.
