Text messaging center established for OFWs

Overseas Filipino workers who are in trouble anywhere in the world can now report their situation via text messaging to the Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs.

CMA executive director Ellene Sana said that an OFW who needs help or has questions can text "SOS " and send to +63 9209 OFW SOS (or +63 9209 639 767).

She said this mechanism, which operates 24 hours a day, would allow government agencies and non-government agencies to act "in a timely, adequate, and efficient manner, especially when the OFW's life, safety, or well-being is a critical consideration."

What makes the project more significant is that it was "initiated, conceptualized, and developed by OFWs for OFWs around the globe. They volunteered their time, expertise, and resources to conceptualize, develop, and maintain this SOS SMS project," she said.

The SMS rate would follow the same charges in the OFWs' country of employment.

"As a text-based mechanism, SOS SMS rides on the backbone of the cell phone technology, capitalizing on the OFWs' familiarity with the SMS utility," said Sana.

Sana said this software-based information and reporting system allows messages to be sent to a central computer, adding that a message would be auto-forwarded to both the CMA and appropriate government agencies.

The project has other uses as well.

"As a research tool, SOS SMS establishes a database that will... enable CMA to document, index, classify, and analyze reported cases of distressed OFWs in terms of work categories, geographical location, gender, types or forms of abuses, destination or work place, type or form of intervention extended, case response and resolution times, groups [GOs, NGOs and individuals, here and abroad] involved or mobilized for the case resolution," she said. - Jasmin R. Uy