In view of the need for clarity in certain policy and procedural concern as monitored in the initial operationalization of the General Financial Assistance Program (GFAP), the following revisions and amendments to certain provisions of Memorandum of Instruction No. 011, Series of 2002, are hereby ordered. 

AMENDMENTS

1. Second paragraph of Item 1 Section C. Entitlement, is hereby amended and shall read as follows:

"In the absence of the OFW's spouse, and if any of the OFWs's children is still a minor, the child's guardian shall be granted the said benefit, provided that an affidavit of guardianship with undertaking shall be executed by the said guardian. If the guardian is not a relative of the child, an affidavit of guardianship by said guardian shall be executed by two (2) disinterested persons."

2. Second paragraph of Item 2 of Section C. Entitlement, is hereby amended and shall read as follows: 

"In the absence of the OFW's parents, and if any of the OFW's brother or sister is still a minor, the guardian shall be granted the said benefit provided that an affidavit of guardianship with undertaking shall be executed by the same. If the guardian is not a relative of the OFW's brother or sister, an affidavit of guardianship by said guardian shall be executed by two (2) disinterested persons."

3. Provision 3 of C. Entitlement, is hereby amended and shall read as follows: 

"In exceptional cases, a married OFW is entitled to the assistance in case of sickness or death of his/her parent."

4. Provision 5 of C. Entitlement, shall be deleted.

5. Section D. Amount of Assistance Item 2 is hereby amended and shall read as follows: 

2. Medical Assistance shall not exceed Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000.00) for the OFW or his/her beneficiary. 

The amount to be granted under this category shall be based on the following Impediment levels:                                                           

Amount		Level	Illness/Disability
10,000.00		Level I	Total Permanent Disability or conditions that are terminal or those that require continuous medical management;
7,500.00		Level II	Partial Permanent Disability or conditions that render the worker/beneficiary permanently unfit for any gainful employment;
5,000.00		Level III	Total Temporary Disability;
3,500.00		Level IV	Partial Temporary Disability

The ROUs shall utilize the services of the Medical Retainer of the OWWA Medicare accredited out-patient hospital/clinic in determining the schedule of impediment grades of illnesses or injuries. In the absence of Medical Retainer of the OWWA Medicare accredited out-patient hospital/clinic in the ROU, claims application originating from them shall be forwarded to the nearest ROU or the NCR to determine the schedule of impediment grades of illnesses or injuries before the said ROU could fully process such applications.

6. The last paragraph of Item 3 under Section D. Amount of Assistance is hereby amended and shall read as follows: 

"If the OFW or his/her dependents has not availed of any of the maximum amount for cases enumerated above, including those who had availed a portion or the maximum amount of the GAF, EDA or FA, succeeding availments on this program shall not exceed the amount hereto provided. In case of death of the OFW, the beneficiary of the OFW shall only be granted the balance of the P15,000.00 upon deduction of the amount of previous availment;"

7. Section E. Validity of Claims/Filing Period For Each Cases is hereby amended and shall read as follows: 

Claims shall be filed within the period hereunder prescribed, otherwise the same shall no longer be considered.                   

Nature of Claim		Validity/Filing Period
1. Burial Assistance/Death Benefit		Within 4 mos. from death of the OFW or qualified beneficiary.
2. Medical Assistance		Within 4 mos. after latest date of medical certificate by the OFW or dependent/beneficiary.
3. Meritorious Cases		Within 4 mos. after date of occurrence of such case.

8. Letter a. of no. 3. Documentary Requirements, of Section II.B. Processing of Claims, is hereby amended and shall read as follows:

a. Personal letter request from OFW or qualified beneficiary 

b. Original death certificate issued and authenticated by the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) or by the National Census and Statistics Office (NCSO); or

9. Letter d. of no. 3. Documentary Requirements, of Section II.B. Processing of Claims, is hereby amended and shall read as follows: 

d. Waiver of original beneficiary in case a relative shouldered the cost of burial of the OFW, or waiver of the original beneficiary in case the benefit is applied to parent of married OFW.

TRANSITORY PROVISION

All pipeline or pending claims of the ROUs, and claims for cases which occurred before the effectivity of this MOI but not later than 31 December 1999 shall be governed by previous policies and guidelines on Secretariat package of benefits and services.

REPEALING CLAUSE

All Secretariat issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this MOI are hereby amended or modified accordingly.

EFFECTIVITY

This MOI shall take effect 01 January 2003.

Adopted: 25 Nov. 2002

(SGD.) VIRGILIO R. ANGELO
Administrator