Inquiry on inflated Peso Dollar Rate on OWWA and POEA fees

Gulfnews.com reports an inquiry into alleged overcharging by POEA and OWWA on OFW fees using inflated Peso Dollar Rates.

"President Gloria Arroyo has ordered an investigation into reports that a state welfare agency has been "overcharging" overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) on their membership fees.

In an interview aired by the government-run station Radyo ng Bayan, Presidential Management Staff chief Cerge Remonde said Arroyo has ordered a probe into the collection of fees from OFWs by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

The fees being exacted on OFWs as part of "processing fees" are dependent on the peso equivalent of the dollar and some OFW groups have said these agencies have been overcharging OFWs from early this year when the peso started to gain strength against the US dollar.

They said the failure of the two agencies to take action in this regard is tantamount to "exploitation" of the OFWs. Remonde, on the part of the palace, said: "We will look into any report of exploitation of OFWs especially by the very agencies that are supposed to protect them."

Reports said both the POEA and OWWA are amenable to bringing down the fees but the question now lies on where the two agencies will start implementing a lower fee schedule for workers departing for foreign jobs.

Senate President Manuel Villar said steps should be taken to stop the "exploitative" situation.

Villar learned that POEA Administrator Rosalinda Baldoz and OWWA Administrator Marianito Roque, in an emergency meeting, agreed to revise the conversion rate applied in the collection of the $25 (Dh91.75) OWWA membership fee from 51 pesos a dollar to 42 pesos from January 1, 2008."