The new Philippine Overseas Labour Office (POLO) processing centre at Al Jazeera Tower in West Bay (Photo credit: Imelda Enrile)
The Philippine Overseas Labour Office (POLO) in Qatar yesterday announced it will implement an online appointment system exclusively for verification of individual employment contracts starting July 30. Online appointment booking can done through POLO’s website: www.polodoha.com.ph starting July 23.
A first among POLOs in the Middle East, the new POLO Appointment System is aimed at de-congesting the POLO processing centre with the huge increase in the number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) availing of its services.
“We are launching this new appointment system because since the start of June there has been an unusual surge in the number of OFWs wanting to have their individual employment contracts verified causing overcrowding and long waiting period,” Philippine Labour Attaché David Des T Dicang said yesterday.
Since POLO relocated its processing centre to Al Jazeera Tower in West Bay last April, there has been a rise in the number of its clients because the location has become more accessible, but the start of the previous month saw an unusual increase in number which prompted POLO to launch the new system.
According to Dicang, POLO used to process on a daily basis around 80 for online system for issuance of Overseas Employment Certificates (OECs) and 30 for individual contract verification.
“But now there are more than 100, sometimes 200 OFW clients for contract verification, apart from those for OEC processing. There are also some clients who have resorted going to POLO as early as 4 am just to get a number,” he said, adding the current system only allows them to process 80 to 100 for contract verification.
OFWs have their contracts validated for various reasons such as to apply for a loan in the Philippines, for POEA registration or OEC issuance in the Philippines and for travel to another country, among others. “There are also those who came to Qatar on family, business or tourist visa and were able to seek employment here, in addition to those who have changed jobs who decide to have their employment contracts validated for future use,” he added.
He clarified that the new system is separate from the Balik-Manggawa or BM-Online System for vacationing OFWs who register for issuance of OEC.
To book an appointment, a client has to visit www.polodoha.com.ph, fill out the Electronic Application Form and choose a selected date and time (only from Sundays to Thursdays). Confirmation will be sent to the client’s email. The client will print the email confirmation of appointment and bring the printout to POLO on the assigned date and time.
Verification of contract fee is QR40.
