THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is urging prospective applicants from Negros Occidental to undergo Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar (PEOS) to avoid being runaway workers.
Glenda Aligonza, coordinator of POEA Satellite Office in Bacolod City, said through the PEOS, overseas workers are being oriented on the culture, climate, norms and values of the people in the country where they intend to work.
She said this is the agency’s measure of preparing local workers on the circumstances and eventualities of working abroad.
“By making our workers ready for barriers like language, culture and even food, we can prevent them from becoming runaway employees,” Aligonza said, adding that “it is also a means of ensuring the good image of Filipino workers abroad.”
Most common reasons of becoming runaway workers are culture shock and inability to adjust with the climate of certain country, she added.
Under the 2016 revised rules and regulations, a worker’s application cannot be processed without the PEOS certificate, which is a requirement for the issuance of Overseas Employment Certificate or travel exit clearance.
Aligonza said applicants may avail of the PEOS service online through www.poea.gov.ph. Upon registration, they need to answer modules to be validated by the agency.
After passing the test, the applicant will be given a certificate to be presented to the agencies when applying for jobs, Aligonza said.
“They can also proceed directly to our satellite office so that we can assist them in doing the online process,” she added.