Here's overview of Philippine laws on working and living abroad:
Labor Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended)
The Magna Carta of Labor, as the Labor Code is sometimes called, contains important provisions concerning overseas employment. These are found in Title I, Book I of the Labor Code, particularly Chapters I to III thereof.
Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 (Republic Act No. 8042)
The law "institutes the policies of overseas employment and establishes a higher standard of protection and promotion of the welfare of migrant workers, their families, and of overseas Filipinos in distress." [Cesario Alvero Azucena, Jr., The Labor Code: With Comments and Cases, Volume I, ( Quezon City: Rex Printing Co., Inc., 1999) p. 44.]
Signed by the President in 1982, it created the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration or POEA to streamline operations in the overseas employment program. The three government agencies involved in overseas employment were abolished, namely: Overseas Employment Development Board, National Seamen's Board and the Bureau of Employment Services.
Other Laws
- Presidential Decree No. 1694 (May 1, 1980) as amended by Presidential Decree No. 1809 (January 16, 1981). This act created the Welfare Fund for Overseas Workers as the government agency mandated to promote the welfare of overseas Filipino workers. It administers a workers' fund from which welfare services and programs are implemented. Executive Order No. 1987 (1987) renamed the agency to Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
- Executive Order No. 247, also known as the Reorganization Act of POEA issued in 1987 was intended to make the delivery of public services more efficient.
- Executive Order No. 195 signed on August 13, 1994 created the medical care program for overseas Filipino workers which provides medical assistance and hospitalization benefits to OFWs and their dependents. Under this Act, OWWA was mandated to administer the program.