The Overseas Workers’ Welfare Association (OWWA) Rebate Program sounds interesting thinking that you finally will get something from those contributions as an OWWA member (without having to be in distressed).
First, some background.
Remember those OWWA membership fees that we pay every time we were leaving the country? From those contributions, the government, thru RA No 10801 Sec 54 decrees that a rebate or a partial refund will be paid to qualified OFWs.
Who are qualified?
These are the OWWA members
- Who have been members for at least 10 years
- Who have paid at least 5 membership contributions before the December 2017 cut off
- Have not availed of any OWWA benefits or assistance in the past
So if you have not been an OFW for 10 years or more, nada. You may stop reading from here.
Each payment we made is valid for two years. For every OFW who comes home every year, OWWA collects only once in every two years. Remember, when they had to do an assessment of how much we’re going to pay before we go to the cashier?
On those times that we pay less, we then pay only for POEA Processing Fee, Philhealth-Medicare and Pagibig as in the below receipt.
On those times that we pay more, we pay for the membership fee, as in the sample receipt below.
My point is, just because we go to POEA every year does not mean we pay for OWWA membership every time. So if you have been an OFW for 10 years before the 2017 cut off, you have most probably paid for only five membership fees.
How much do you get?
Granted that you qualified, below is the table showing the corresponding rebate for the number of contributions paid.
| No. of Contributions | Rebate |
| 5 | 941.25 |
| 6 | 1,129.50 |
| 7 | 1,317.75 |
| 8 | 1,506.00 |
| 9 | 1,694.25 |
| 10 | 1,882.50 |
| 20 | 3,765.00 |
| 30 | 5,647.50 |
The table at the site shows until 70 contributions which made me think that you must have insisted on paying every year for 70 years that you were an OFW.
Or maybe just for a show that an OFW can get as much as P13,177.50 (for 70 contributions).
All the above information are available in the website: www.owwa.gov.ph/orp.html
The amount (according to the OWWA personnel which I forget to get the name), is based on the 10% of the P1,882.50 OWWA membership fee we pay every time back then. (P188.25 X 5=941.25).
How to know if you are qualified?
At the site, https://rebate.owwa.gov.ph, you will be greeted by the OWWA VERIFICATION FORM as shown below.
Fill up the form to know if you are entitled to the said rebate. It should tell you how much you will get.
Get an appointment to the nearest OWWA office and bring one government-issued ID. Be ready to provide the bank details where your rebate will be deposited.
Easy peasy.
What if your verification did not yield result? This message will appear in the screen:
Even if you send email, you would still be asked to visit the nearest OWWA office.
One of the reasons why your verification did not yield result is when the record in OWWA shows that you have not made the required five contributions, although you have been an OFW for more than 10 years. In which case, you would be asked to provide to show receipts that you have indeed made the required contributions. (Who among you have kept all their OWWA receipts.?)
If you’re still interested to know the status of your rebate, this site https://owwa.gov.ph/index.php/contact-us should give you the list of locations of OWWA offices.
Is it worth the trouble?
If your verification shows outright result, then by all means, go to the nearest OWWA office to claim your rebate.
If, however, you will be asked to go to this branch and check what is wrong with your rebate, then I think, it’s better to do the math first. Considering how much time a vacationing OFW has in his hands and the traffic, then you decide.
If you live in Cavite or the neighboring provinces, the nearest OWWA Office is the one along Harrison St. in Pasay City or the one along Buendia.
Fare would cost you about P150.00, if commuting.
There is a queue for this transaction which would make you wait minimum of 30 minutes. You would probably spend another P200 for your lunch or snack.
If you would just get P941.75, given the above considerations, would you still bother to claim your rebate?
Hi, I'm Cecille. I have been an OFW in KSA for 13 long years. I have been there, done that. I'd say I was lucky because for most of those years, my family was with me. I'd like to share in this blog what makes those years worthwhile, the lessons I learned and bits and pieces of info that may pique your interest as bagong bayani.