Section 19Sec./Art. 19

Establishment of a Migrant Workers and Other Overseas Filipinos Resource Center. - Within the premises and under the administrative jurisdiction of the Philippine Embassy in countries where there are large concentrations of Filipino migrant workers, there shall be established a Migrant Workers and Other Overseas Filipinos Resource Center with the following services:

a. Counselling and legal services;

b. Welfare assistance including the procurement of medical and hospitalization services;

c. Information, advisory and programs to promote social integration such as post-arrival orientation, settlement and community networking services and activities for social interaction;

d. Institute a scheme of registration of undocumented workers to bring them within the purview of this Act. For this purpose, the Center is enjoined to compel existing undocumented workers to register with it within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act, under pain of having his/her passport cancelled;

e. Human resource development, such as training and skills upgrading;

f. Gender sensitive programs and activities to assist particular needs of women migrant workers;

g. Orientation program for returning workers and other migrants; and

h. Monitoring of daily situations, circumstances and activities affecting migrant workers and other overseas Filipinos.

The establishment and operations of the Center shall be a joint undertaking of the various government agencies. The Center shall be open for twenty-four (24) hours daily including Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and shall be staffed by Foreign Service personnel, service attaches or officers who represent other Philippine government agencies abroad and, if available, individual volunteers and bona fide non-government organizations from the host countries. In countries categorized as highly problematic by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Labor and Employment and where there is a concentration of Filipino migrant workers, the government must provide a lawyer and a social worker for the Center.

The Labor Attache shall coordinate the operation of the Center and shall keep the Chief of Mission informed and updated on all matters affecting it.

The Center shall have a counterpart 24-hour information and assistance center at the Department of Foreign Affairs to ensure a continuous network and coordinative mechanism at the home office.