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Many Filipino expatriates, including community leaders, have hailed the move of Philippine Overseas Labor Office's (POLO) to shift to West Bay, as a welcome and necessary development.
Philippine Labour Attache to Qatar David Des Dicang recently announced that the main functions of POLO will shift to a new office located in Al Jazeera Tower by mid-March. The villa in which POLO is currently functioning out of, on Al Furat St, Onaiza Area, Dafna, will serve as Migrant Workers and Other Filipino Resources Center (MWOFRC).
The nationals welcomed the decision of POLO and underscored the importance of such a development in terms of accessibility and convenience.
œThis decision of POLO gives value to the convenience of the nationals in visiting the office both by public and private transport. It's very accessible as the building is located opposite City Center Doha mall. Many of our kababayans who go to POLO by taxi, will have to pay less unlike when going to the current office. Also, the old POLO office doesn't have a security guard, therefore, anybody can go inside. There is a better security and control system in place on the new premises. Moving to a new office located in a business district also uplifts the image of the Philippine government agency, ? said United Filipino Organizations in Qatar (UFOQ) Chairman Ressie Fos.
POLO's mandate includes verification of employment contracts and manpower requests and attending to labour, welfare and employment concerns of company workers and house helps. As such, it does not only cater to Filipino nationals but to other nationalities as well including Qataris. Its frontline services include 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.
Association of Filipino Real Estate Executives in Qatar (Afreeq) President Joseph Timothy Rivera underscored the impact of having a more spacious and professional office for POLO in ensuring efficient delivery of the agency's critical services.
œI personally welcome the shift of POLO offices to the West Bay business district. It's also good news for all of us overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as POLO will now be more accessible, with better parking, taxis easily available, and most of all, within walking distance from bus stops. With the growing number of Filipino expatriates in Qatar, it is high time we upgrade our government's frontline services, ? Rivera said.
UFOQ Chair (Tourism and Culture Committee) and Founding Chairman of D'Fri3ndz Engineer Jundee Tejedo said congestion in the current POLO office is one of the main concerns of those conducting business with the agency. He said with the main functions of POLO being carried out in another office, those visiting POLO would have a better experience in dealing with the agency. At the same time, the other services offered by POLO benefitting distressed Filipino workers would be better managed, Tejedo added.
HERO Qatar Founding Chairman Henry Dimaano said that one of the comments of the public is the lack of Wi-Fi at the current POLO office. He said with the new office in a high rise building, POLO could finally attend to this request of many nationals.
Philippine govt urged to give more teeth to POLO
The United Filipino Organisations in Qatar (UFOQ), the umbrella organisation of the Filipino community in Doha, drafted a resolution urging the Philippine government to further boost the services of Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Doha.
The resolution addressed to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte through the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III, was signed by dozens of community leaders and members representing various groups. UFOQ sent the electronic copy of the document to Manila, while the original document would be sent later via courier.
Among the provisions of the resolution, is the approval of the request of POLO to retain a law firm and a translation office to better cater to the needs of Filipino workers with labour cases. The community has also requested approval of DOLE and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in deploying additional welfare officers, administrative staff and Arabic-reading and writing staff on the POLO premises.
The lack of sufficient manpower is among the main challenges of POLO, especially with the growing number of Filipinos in Qatar. The resolution also urges key government agencies in the Philippines to support POLO Qatar and the Philippine Embassy in Doha in combatting illegal recruitment and human trafficking.
