In the interest of the service and pursuant to DOLE Department Orders No. 101-10 and 101-A-10, series of 2010, placing the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO) under the supervision of the Office of the Administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the following guidelines are hereby issued.

1.0 NATURE

The NRCO funds from the General Appropriations Act (GAA) shall finance the reintegration program for the returning OFWs and their families. Said funds shall be treated as grants under the training-cum-production scheme and should be disbursed to finance various livelihood projects of the intended beneficiaries as identified herein.

2.0 COVERAGE

The fund shall cover any of the following OFW groups and/or Individual proponent; 

2.1 OFW Family Circles (OFCs)
2.2. OFC Federations
2.3 OFC Cooperatives
2.4 OFW Returnees Associations
2.5 Repatriated and/or Displaced OFWs

3.0 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

3.1 OFW group proponents such as the OFCs, federations, cooperatives, and returnees associations must be duly registered with any of the following government entities:

a. Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
b. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
c. Cooperative Development Authority (CDA).

3.2 Individual OFW (repatriated and/or displaced) must have returned to the country due to any of the following reasons:

a. Employment-related problems
b. Health-related concerns.
c. Contract pre-termination under economic reasons.

4.0 PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

4.1 Proof of displacement due to economic reasons (for individual OFW)
4.2 Proof of repatriation (for individual OFW).
4.3 Business/Project proposal.
4.4 Proof of OFW group registration (for OFCs, cooperatives, etc.)
4.5 Application Form

5.0 MECHANICS FOR IMPLEMENTATION

5.1 Project Evaluation for Funding

5.1.1 All projects that have been earlier approved by DOLE and subsequently submitted to NRCO for funding, prior to the issuance of this MOI, shall be deemed approved for funding.

5.1.2 Prospective project proposals shall be acted upon the completion of the following preparatory activities by the proponent:

5.1.2.1 Entrepreneurship orientation or business counseling;
5.1.2.2 Production/skills training, and/or;
5.1.2.3 Other social preparations deemed necessary by RWOs.

5.1.3 RWO heads shall be primarily responsible in the evaluation of all projects for funding and their prioritization based on a) feasibility study, b) funding requirement and, c) perceived impact;

5.1.4 All above preparatory activities shall be conducted either by the RWOs or any of its accredited partner government organizations (GOs) and non-government organizations (NGOs).

5.2 Amount of Grant

Based on a) the category of the proponent, b ) the feasibility of the project, and c) the capitalization requirement, each proponent shall be entitled to receive the following grant;

5.2.1 OFW Group - from Php50,000.00 and above. The Maximum amount, however, shall not exceed the total amount corresponding to the number of members and the maximum amount per individual (ex. 10 members x Php15,000 =Php 150,000.00).

5.2.2 Individual proponent - from Php 5,000.00 to Php 15,000.00

5.2.3 RWO Heads are authorized to determine the amount of grant for each proponent. RWOs may utilize the services and expertise of partners for this purpose.

5.3 Approving Authority

5.3.1 Projects requiring funding of Php50,000.00 and above shall be approved by the OWWA Administrator upon the recommendation of the NRCO Director.

5.3.2 Projects with below Php50,000.00 funding requirement shall be approved by the concerned RWO Head upon the recommendation of the Program and Services Division Chief.

5.3.3 In addition, all RWO Heads are authorized to sign disbursement vouchers and checks relative to this grant.

5.4 Process Flow

5.4.1 RWOs shall open a separate bank account for the purpose,

5.4.2 RWOs shall evaluate/ascertain whether applicant/proponent is qualified for funding. Only proposal with complete documentary requirements shall be considered.

5.4.3 RWO Head shall request NRCO Director, through the Regional Operation Coordinating Service (ROCS), to endorse to the Administrator for approval those project/s eligible to receive Php50,000.00 and above fund (as per 5.3.1)

5.4.4 RWO Head shall request ROCS Director fund transfer for RWO approved project/s worth below Php50,000.00 (as per 5.3.2) and for Php 50,000.00 and above projects approved by the Administrator.

5.4.5 ROCS shall summarize all approved projects and initiate request for fund transfer addressed to Financial Management Service (FMS).

5.4.6 FMS implements fund transfer to all concerned RWO/s.

5.4.7 RWOs account for fund transfer, prepare disbursement voucher for all approved projects and make necessary disbursement of fund in accordance with this guidelines.

5.4.8 Approved list of funded project/s shall be submitted to the NRCO within fifteen (15) days from release of check/s to the proponent/s.

5.5 Mode of Fund Releases

5.5.1 The grant shall be released in the form of check to be issued by concerned RWOs.

5.5.2 The check/s shall be released to the proponent only after compliance of pre-release conditions and after submission of proper identification.

5.5.3 Release of check/s to project proponents may be done on a one-time or a tranche basis depending on the requirement of the project. RWO Heads shall determine the actual mode of release.

5.6 Liquidation Report

All RWOs shall submit liquidation report of the funds received and disbursed every end of the quarter.

6.0 PROJECT MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Evaluation and monitoring of all approved projects shall be the primary responsibility of RWOs. They shall also ensure that all projects are implemented accordingly, monitored regularly, and that provision of technical assistance, counseling, etc. to all grantees are vigorously pursued. Report of monitoring and evaluation shall be submitted, on a monthly basis to the NRCO through the ROCS.

The Program Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) system designed for the Filipino Expatriate Livelihood Support Fund (FELSF) shall be utilized for this purpose. All RWOs are instructed to modify such system to fit in to the requirement of this project.

Evaluation and monitoring tools and other reportorial templates (forms) shall be developed and issued by the NRCO, in coordination with the ROCS. It shall also consolidate and analyze all reports coming from the RWOs to be submitted to the Office of the Administrator with recommendations, if any.

The NRCO may, from time to time, conduct actual project site visitations and/or consultations with project proponents, the RWOs and their partner organizations and agencies, to assess the overall impact of the livelihood activities and to make appropriate recommendations for its improvement.

7.0 EFFECTIVITY

This MOI shall be effective immediately.

(SGD.) CARMELITA S. DIMZON, DPA
  Administrator