Globalization is a blessing in many ways for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as the technological advancements resulted to cheaper and faster modes of communication. Among other things, it shortens the distance of far countries and makes the loneliness of working overseas bearable. It sure has made the world smaller and brought people closer.
Among the benefits an OFW gets from cyberspace are the following:
Internet Voting for OFWs
Suffrage is one of the most important rights of being a citizen of a particular country. It is therefore ironic that most OFWs who are considered modern-day-heroes fail to participate in this significant event. The Philippine government addressed this problem by implementing a law that allows absentee voting.
Today voting is even made easier as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced that a pilot-test internet voting will be held in Singapore for the upcoming 2007 local elections.
Singapore was chosen because of the large number of OFWs (approximately 26,000) here which are mostly domestic helpers.
Accordint to Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr., “We chose Singapore for the pilot-testing of Internet voting because majority of the households there have Internet access.”
They believe that internet voting would be more effective as voting in embassies and consular offices made possible through the absentee voting law is a tedious process that takes almost a month. Under that scheme, March is the start of voting for sea-based workers while April is the start for land-based workers.
Florentino Tuason, the commissioner in charge for absentee voting said, “ Casting and counting of votes were also much faster and it is guaranteed safe because it has an international patent.”
Tele-OFW (Overseas Free Way)
Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) may soon run out of excuse about failing to communicate with their loved ones here in the Philippines. Getting in touch with loved ones and sending money overseas will no longer be a hassle as it is now easier, faster, and cheaper.
The Tele-OFW (Overseas Free Way) is a new, internet-based service platform that will be beneficial for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). This service is a joint project of the Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration (OWWA), Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), and Microsoft Philippines.
Through this service, OFWs anywhere in the globe can contact their families and friends using any of the following: a windows mobile device, a mobile phone or a personal computer. Microsoft Live Communication Server is also needed for Instant Messaging (IM) and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) which allows free voice calls. They can also send money to the Philippines using the mentioned medium.
According to OWWA, “RCBC’s network of more than 200 branches abroad will be used for the service.” Filipino workers with an RCBC TeleMoney account can request for the Tele-OFW service.
According to Marianito Roque, OWWA administrator, "Tele-OFW is a service which will allow our overseas workers to reduce costs when staying in touch with their loved ones."
Francisco Magsajo, RCBC president said, "Filipino workers abroad can avail of easy financing agreement in the purchase of a computer or a handset. But you can also avail of a bundled loan, where the PC and handset is already included in the package.Depending on the type of PC or handset, a worker can loan a PC and handset package for as low as R50,000. “RCBC
The Tele-OFW has been launched in Singapore, Hong Kong .Taiwan, Middle East, and even Europe.
For more information regarding this service, please visit the OWWA website at www.owwa.gov.ph or inquire at any RCBC branch.
