Pursuant to Republic Act No. 9679, or the Home Development Mutual Fund Law of 2009, otherwise known as Pag-IBIG Fund, which took effect on 27 August 2009, the following guidelines are hereby issued:

I. Coverage. All land-based Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) are covered by this Circular.

II. Contribution. The OFW shall pay an advance Pag-IBIG Fund Contribution equivalent to six (6) months or the duration of the employment contract, whichever is lower, as part of his documentation cost pursuant to Section 3, Rule V, Part II of the 2002 POEA Rules and Regulations Governing the Recruitment and Employment of Land-based overseas Workers.

III. Procedures for Issuance of POEA exit clearance/Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC). The following procedures for issuance of the POEA exit clearance/OEC shall be observed:

a. OFWs processed through the POEA Name Hire Facility, the Government Placement Branch and the Balik-Manggagawa Center shall submit to the POEA their Pag-IBIG Member Data Form in addition to the existing documentary requirements and pay the required contribution for the processing of their documents and issuance of the POEA exit clearance/OEC.

b. For OFWs hired through POEA-licensed recruitment agencies, the recruitment agency shall submit to the POEA the individual Pag-IBIG Member Data Form of the OFWs in addition to the existing documentary requirements and pay the required contribution for the processing of their documents and issuance of the POEA exit clearance/OEC.

c. For workers processed through the in-house processing system, the agency shall submit to the POEA, together with their report of their processing and deployment, the proof of payment of the required Pag-IBIG contribution.

All issuances inconsistent with this Circular are hereby repealed and modified accordingly.

For compliance effective immediately.

(SGD.) JENNIFER JARDIN-MANALILI
  Administrator