Pursuant to POEA Governing Board Resolution No. 3, (S. 1992) the Administration shall issue authorities to establish branch offices to authorized/licensed agencies/entities applying for such under the circumstances and conditions as follows:

1.         Only duly licensed/authorized agencies/entities shall be allowed to establish branch offices in selected provincial cities/municipalities. Branch offices in cities and municipalities within Metropolitan Manila shall not be allowed.

2.         The following criteria shall be observed in the approval of cities/provinces wherein branch offices may be established:

1. The branch office shall be located preferably in or adjoining an economically depressed province, city or municipality.
   
   
2. There is a DOLE Regional Office at or in the adjoining city/municipality where the branch office is located;
   
   
3. There is a manpower or youth training center at or in the adjoining city/province where the branch office is located; or
   
   
4. There is a trade testing agency at or in the adjoining city/province where the branch office is located.

3.         Agencies/entities who meet the following requirements may be allowed to operated branch office:

1. Quality of facilities: Office space must be at least 45 sq. meters; furnitures and appliance commensurate to the number of employees; equipment and communication facilities must be adequate (typewriters, telephones, calculator, filing cabinets, etc.)
   
   
2. Number and rate of deployment: The applicant's deployment should not be less than 100 workers/seafarers during the validity period of its license/authority, preceding the date of application.  Applicants with new licenses are not covered by this requirement.
   
   
3. Manpower needs of Foreign Employers: The applicant must submit proof, such as manpower mobilization request, or approved job order to be sourced from the proposed branch office.

4.         The applicant, at the time of filing of application shall submit the following:

1. Application form accomplished in duplicate.
   
   
2. Exact location and address of the proposed branch office.
   
   
3. Contract of lease or proof of building ownership.
   
   
4.  Inventory of office equipment and facilities.
   
   
5. Board Resolution and Minutes of the Meeting authorizing the establishment of such branch office, duly certified by the Securities and Exchange Commission in case of a corporation.
   
   
6. Sworn statement of the agency that all acts of the branch office shall be considered its own acts and responsibilities and shall be in accordance with the rules and regulations of overseas employment;
   
   
7. Copies of appointments, bio-data and pictures of branch office staff.

5.         For all intents and purposes, the activities of the branch office shall be governed by and subject to the guidelines issued by the Administration on its decentralization functions.

6.         All branch offies shall be under the technical supervision of the POEA Regional Centers or the DOLE Regional Offices, as the case may be.  As such, the heads of branch offices shall be required to submit monthly reports to the Head of the Regional Center/Office on the number of applicants recruited and the status of their application, said reports shall be one of the basis for the evaluation of the performance of branch offices.

7.         The authority to operate a branch office shall be coterminous with the validity period of the license granted to the particular agency.

Strict compliance with the foregoing guidelines and policies, is hereby required and any violation thereof is subject to appropriate administrative sanctions.

Adopted: 24 May 1993

(Sgd.) FELICISIMO O. JOSON
Administrator