Page 90 - May 2018 - December 2018 Issue

Helpful Apps for Modern Day Heroes

By Mary Ann Caritativo, Technology Management

Being abroad is not always because of a well-needed vacation; sometimes, it is a sacrifice to provide for the family.
During times of war, heroes are those who wield guns and shed their blood in the name of their country and fellow
countrymen. At times of peace, heroes are those who experience different types of hardships — may it be emotional, physical,
mental, and social. Leaving behind their families may be the last thing they want to do but the desire for a better life motivates
Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to stay at their work, to give their families an easy and comfortable life.
As technology continues to develop, applications or apps have emerged to help Overseas Filipino Workers. Here are some:

OFW WATCH
Developed by former OFW – domestic worker Myrna Padilla to protect overseas Filipinos from
human trafficking, with partnership with the Philippines Department of Labor and Employment
(DOLE) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

Whether in distress and in need of help or just curious about current goings-on in the world of
entertainment and sports, OFWs now have an app that they can use for these purposes.
Among the app’s other features are:

■ Report Abused OFW / Report Missing OFW
■ Home: Post Status, Upload Photo, View Activities
■ OFW Watch Facebook: View Facebook posts of OFW Watch
■ Locator: Use Google Maps to locate Embassies, OWWA and POLO offices
■ News Feed: Philippine Nation, Entertainment and Sports news
■ Resources: FAQs and useful articles
■ Directories: Organized directories by categories and ability to search specific directories
■ Translator
■ Currency Converter

OH! PHILIPPINES
It’s cool, fun, quick, easy, and simply loaded with features that are sure to keep everyone
entertained; helping reduce the inevitable feeling of homesickness among OFWs.

Oh! Philippines users are welcomed to:
■ Chat with other Oh! Phil users.
■ Listen live to radio stations.
■ View and share food recipes, photos, and jokes.
■ Read, share, and comment on love and other interesting stories.
■ Read horoscopes.
■ Read foreign and Philippine news straight from the nation’s leading newspapers.
■ Read updates about the Philippines.
■ Convert currencies.
OWWA APP
This app will allow members situated in countries without OWWA office to pay their biannual
membership fast and hassle-free. It also gives its users the ability to check employment contract
information, membership status, payment histories as well as names of beneficiaries of each
member. Aside from that, it allows you to know important OWWA services including death
benefits, disability and dismemberment benefits. Programs launched by OWWA like OFW
Enterprise Development and Loan program can also be viewed here.

COMPASS PH
Compass is a unified digital platform dedicated to safeguarding Filipino migrant workers.
Launched in November 2017, the app features include a one-stop shop where remittances, loan
applications, sending online prepaid load, etc. It has a platform to stay in touch with migrant
workers pre- and post- deployment through programs from the Department of Labor and
Employment and all attached Philippine government agencies.
(Downloadable for web, iOS and android)

89 | TECHNOLOGY