Do you have concerns or complaints about your recruitment agency, employer, or co-workers? Or do you need some legal counseling?
Don’t worry! You can now contact the POEA Legal Assistance Division online.
The POEA or Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has a Legal Assistance Division (LAD) that provides free legal counseling services to Overseas Filipino Workers or OFWs, overseas work applicants and walk-in clients for their overseas employment concerns such as:
- recruitment violations
- disciplinary actions against the employer
- disciplinary actions against the worker
- illegal recruitment referral to conciliation
- legal counselling
- other inquiries
These services have been made more accessible because you can now submit your concerns online. It means that you just have to go to the Legal Assistance website using your computer or smartphone that is connected to the internet.
How to submit a case for legal counseling?
In the Legal Assistance page, choose Legal Counseling, then provide your personal information:
- First, Middle, and Last Name
- Date
- Gender
- Contact Details – Contact Number and Email Address
- Education – choose Elementary, High School, Vocational or College
- Complete Address
Below your personal information is the Case Details (Detalye ng Pangyayari) where you can state the details of your case or concerns:
- Nature of Inquiry (Uri ng tanong?)
- Name of worker (Pangalan ng OFW)
- Country of deployment (Bansang Pinagtrabahuhan)
- Details of the Event (Detalye ng Pangyayari)
- Evidence (Ebidensya) – you can upload pictures or videos as evidence or to prove your case or concerns
After you review the details of your case, click or enter the captcha, and click submit. You will then be provided with a Reference Number for your case.
All the information you provided are safe and will be respected by the Legal Assistance Division and it will not be shared with anyone.
How to Check the Status of your Case?
In the same Legal Assistance page, click Check Status, then enter the Reference Number.
Under Validation, choose either Apelyido (Last Name) or Araw ng Kapanganakan (Date of Birth), then enter the answer.
Click or enter the Captcha and click Submit.
Legal Assistance FAQs
The Legal Assistance website has also compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to overseas employment including the following topics:
- Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC)
- BalikManggagawa vs BalikBayan
- Illegal Recruitment
- Recruitment Agencies
- Recruitment Processes
- Legal Fees
- Job Order
- TESDA
- PDOS
How to Contact the Legal Assistance Division?
For any inquiries or additional information, you may visit the Legal Assistance Divison at Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Legal Assistance Division, 4th Floor, BFO Building EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue, Mandaluyong City.
You may also contact them at Telephone No: (02) 722-1189 or send an email message to their email address at legal-asst@poea.gov.ph.
What do Legal Assistance Services cover?
- LEGAL ADVICE – to provide counseling services where repatriated workers are informed of their rights and possible options for redress of grievances
- CONCILIATION – to afford repatriated workers and their recruitment agencies a venue to discuss the possibility of amicable settlement
- PREPARATION AND FILING OF COMPLAINTS – for illegal recruitment, recruitment violation, and disciplinary action cases
- COUNSELING DURING PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION AND HEARINGS – of criminal cases for illegal recruitment
How to avail of Legal Assistance Services?
Step 1 – Go to the Legal Assistance Division at 4th Floor POEA Central Office or at any POEA Regional Centers.
Step 2 – Respond to the initial interview by the Legal Officer as to what assistance is needed.
Step 3 – Evaluation and endorsement of the complaint to the appropriate unit:
- Conciliation Unit
- Adjudication Office
- Public Prosecutor/Fiscal
Step 4 – For repatriated OFWs staying at the OWWA Hostel, a lawyer from the POEA Legal Assistance Division will visit the Hostel to provide legal assistance.
Legal Assistance Center Offices
NCR POEA
- Address: Legal Assistance Division, 4th Floor, BFO Building, EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue, Mandaluyong City
- Telephone Nos.: 09175540249 / 721-0619 09175501027 / 722-1189
- Email Address: legal-asst@poea.gov.ph
Luzon Regional Center
- Address: 2nd Floor LZK-Zambrano Bldg, Quezon Ave. City of San Fernando, La Union
- Telefax: (072) 242-5608
- Email Address: poea_rcl@yahoo.com.ph
Visayas Regional Center
- Address: Ground Floor, DOLE-RO 7, Building A, General Maxilom Ave. and Gorordo Ave. Cebu City
- Telephone Nos.: (032) 4120040 to 42
- Email Address: poea7_au@yahoo.com
Mindanao Regional Center
- 2nd Floor Amya ll Building Quimpo Blvd. cor Tulip Drive, Ecoland Davao City
- Telephone Nos.: (082) 297-7428 / (082) 297-7650
- Email Address: poearcm@yahoo.com
How to Seek Legal Assistance at the POEA LAC Office in NCR?
If you want to personally go to the POEA Legal Assistance Center to seek legal counseling, prepare your OFW Record and Verification Form. There is no fee for this. Just follow the procedures below:
Step 1 – Get a verification form from the Guard on Duty at the 4th Floor of the POEA Office and fill-up the form.Step 2 – Submit the completely
Step 2 – Submit the completely fille out form to Window 3, Licensing Branch (LB), 4th Floor, for verification of the status of agency/persons. Deployed workers must secure the OFW Information Sheet from the Central Records Division at the 6th Floor.
Step 3 – Submit duly verified form or OFW Information Sheet to the Legal Assistance Division (LAD) Legal Officer and wait for your name to be called.
Step 4 – When your name is called, proceed to the table of the designated Legal Officer for counseling or legal assistance in the preparation or filling-up of a complaint form.
Step 5 – Submit duly accomplished complaint form to the LAD Legal Officer and swear under oath as to the truthfulness of the facts contained in the complaint.
Step 6 – You may file the complaint at the Conciliation Unit on the 2nd Floor, if proper for conciliation or at the Docket and Enforcement Division on the 3rd Floor.
Source: POEA Legal Assistance
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Angilou Omemaga Garonia says
Hello good day.. may problema po ako sa personal information ko sa e registration ko paano ko po maaayos yun.. nahihirapan po ako.. at di ko alam ang adress ng help disk na sinasbi nila.. nais ko po palitan ang isang letra sa middle initial…from ANGILOU OMIMAGA GARONIA to ANGILOU OMEMAGA GARONIA sana po ay matulungan nyo o ako
Sherwin Largado says
Ano po ang dapat kung gawin para mailipat ng employer ang asawa ko s Riyadh.s kadahilan ng po n lagi po siyang pinagagalitan ng walang dahilan at lagi pong delayed ang nasahod s knya hnd p po ibinigay lahat.maging s mga gamot nia sa ay binabawas p s suweldo nya matagal n po sya nag papalipat ng employer pero wala parin po result natapos n po ang 3month nya hnd p po sya inilipat ngaun po gusto nlng daw nya uuwi paano po b ang gagawin ko.salamat po
Karen joy d turingan says
Good am po.. asked kolng po kasi ang asawa kopo my kabet sa qatar at ksama mo nya sa abroad uwe npo sya ng pinas ang doon dumeretso sa bhy ng babae ang kabet po nya pauwe plng po pwedi kopo ba ipa report sila n ndi npo sila mkkbalik ng bansa kasi binalewala po kmi ng asawa ko na may 2 ank po kami. Bilang legal n asawa may kakayanan po ba aq na gawin yun pra ndi n sila pa balikin ng kht amung bansa if ever na aalis po sila ulit.. thank you po
Cristine Althea says
Goodpm po, ask ko lang po sana kung talaga po bang hindi pwedi makapag aply sa abrod lalo na sa electronics or sa kahit anung fields kung wala pa yong mismong UMID ID ng SSS? naka pag apply na po aku ng UMID ID kaya lang 2-3 months pa bago makuha yong mismo ID ko ng UMID. Kapag mag aaply aku sa agency hindi aku natutuloy kasi hinahanap nila agad yong UMID ID, hindi dw kasi pwedi yong papel lang galing SSS katunayan na naka pag apply naku ng UMID ID, 1 month pa lang po aku nakapag apply ng UMID ID sa SSS sana po ay malinawan nyo aku sa aking katanungan kung talagang hindi pwedi hanggat walang ID ng UMID, maraming salamat po.
Evelyn B. Llamado says
Ex-ofw po aq na di nakatapos ng kontrata sa dahilang nagkasakit po aq sa sobrang pagttrabho sa employer q sa KL Malaysia nag run away din po aq dahil d po aq ngtulungan ng agency q sa Malaysia nag file din po aq ng kaso laban sa amo q nung nasa Owwa accomodation po aq pero kinuha po aq ng agency q at dinala sa Pinang malaysia dinala po aq sa Isang public hospital pra ipagamot sinabi po ng duktor na ooperahan daw po aq sa sakit na trigger finger na nakuha q sa sobrang pagttrabho na schedule po aq na operahan nung May 02,2016 pero d po aq pumayag na magpa opera sa halip ay nagpasya nalang po aq na umuwe ng pinas at d2 na magpagamot naka atouched po sa passport q ang medical records q from Malaysia hospital pero d rin po aq nkpag pa gamot b’coz of financial problem wala pong nakapag Sabi sakin na may benipisyong matatanggap ang Ofw sa Owwa at Dole lalo sa katulad q na d nakatapos ng kontrata … Meron pa po ba aq makukuha? Salamat po sa sasagot
Merlyn lopez says
Ask q lng po kung mag kano po talaga ang mababaya pag nag backout ka sa agency mo at mabibilango po ba talaga sa NBI
Kasi po masyado lng pong malaki ang pinapabayad ng agency sa akin halos 96k aabot na sa 100k
Gusto ko humingi ng advice po kasi ginigipit nila ako
James Santos says
Good pm po puwede po ba ireklamo yung mga kasama sa trabaho na pinag iinitan ka.hindi physical pero verbal kahit wala ka naman ginagawa.
Janice says
try nyo lang po.
Elaine bambalan says
Last april po kc tumawag kc tog high global agency pra sa application nmin ng asawa ko.then my dumating na employer from brunei.ininterview kme tpus nselect po kme preho.pinagmedical po kmeng dlwa worth 17k+ then after that ngpdos po kme pero till now dpa kme nkkaalis.tpus bglang sbe nila na kinancel ni employer visa nmen at d nkme kukunen..gusto nlng po sna mbawi pinangmedical at mg documents nmen.ksu pinphirapan pa nila kme..inamon pa kme ng mgreklmo dw po kme..please mo sna mtulungn nio e inutang lng nmin pinangmedical nmin e..
Margie Pascual Bareng says
Ask ko lang po sana kung ano pong dapat kong gawin .. bale 2nd employer ko na po ngayon at wala pa po sakin mga papers ko 6 mos nako dto di pa po nalilipat pangalan ko sa mga amo ko. At mga papeles ko bas aamo ko pang nauna.. wala po akong maayis na tulugan naglalatag lang po ako sa sahig . 5 or 6 na po ng umaga kung matulog ako .. gusto ko na po sanang umuwi ng pinas this december.. bale 1 yr nako sa dec.7
Myra Bucad villela says
Ask ko lng po my paglabag po b ang agency pag dumating s bansa n pagtatrabahuhan mu n d pla in ang amo mo n NASA contract mu tpos kpag po b nag run away ay mgbbayad tlaga Ng 3500 dinar,,pkireply po sa joy Margie hi,please po asap po
Maredie lumanta estrera says
Excuse me,sir and maam , paano ko ma cancel or reschedule Yong infosheet appointment ko kasi nah kalimutan puntahan noong October 30 2019,kahit log in pako ang lumabas ay no matches they found. Ano poh bah gagawin ko sa infosheet appointment ko. Salamat poh.
JIGGER SANTOS says
Mgandang umaga SA lahat Ng staff Ng poea specially sa management,nais ku lang itanong SA inyo mi bayad po ba ang visa pati contract Hindi Naman magamit ? Ang Sabi pag Hindi Ka natuloy SA agency na inaplayan mo mag karoon Ka Ng babayaran Yun nga ang visa contrata pati SA ibang babayaran, salamat SA pag sagut.
Migz says
May kaibigan po akong ofw na pinapabenta ang bahay nilang mag asawa.May buyer po ako na gusto na bilihin ang property pero kinausap po ako ng kaibigan ko na ofw na di nya kayang ibigay ang 3% komisyon ko nung malapit na magbentahan.Pwede po ba ako magfile sa poea ng reklamo? Para lang po mabigay ang komisyon ko.
Louciel Agan says
Hi po ask ko lang po nagaaply po ako dto sa agency po sa malate,jan 21 2020 po ako dumating sa accommodation po nila.nagprocess po ako ng medical po at makapag tesda na po ako,nka remidical po ako for 2nd opinion po,tapos by march 14 2020 mg partime po ako ksi wlang pera pang araw2x w/ch is sabi ng agent ko po libre lahat…March 16 naglockdown 2020..by June dumating po ung contrata ko po galing DAMMAM…since hindi pa nman po ako naka perma may bayad na po ba yung contract ko po?at nagpacompute po ako sa agency na babayaran ko daw po,umabot pi sya ng 27k…pwede ko po ba makuha ang passport ko po eh ako nman po ang gumastos noon sa probinsya po namin?
5k nman po daw pra sa akong pagtira as accommodation….sana po maliwabagan nyo po ako sa mga tanong ko po..slamat po…
Deanno delaon says
I would like to complain my former ce on board ship who made low evaluation on me which is not work related,which all officer and ratings in engine dept. knows his capability.I think all in engine dept are given low evaluation which it’s personal not work related when it’s reach in shipping company which it tell us for no rehire on there ship which unfair due to us
ROVI JOY HULLEZA-CAMINO says
Good day, ask ko lg sana, panu po ba mag complain sa POEA ng asawa ko na seaman na nanloko saken? Nakabuntis po kasi ng ibang babae nun, pinagbigyan ko po siya at pinatawad pero siya po tlaga ang biglang humiwalay saken pagkababa niya ng barko nung 2019. dahil din po kasi cguro sa karamdaman ko na seizure disorder. PWD po kasi ako kaya naghiwalay na lg bigla na wala naman ako kasalan na gnawa sa kanya. Pati po pagpapadala nya ng allotment saken ay malaking problema na din po dahil wala na sa ayos. Sana matulungan nyu po ako para mareklamo po siya. Salamat.
mildred joyce j. responso says
gusto ka poh sna irefund ung pinambili ng plane ticket q kc wla poh aqo naiuwi na pera dahil sa sakin poh pinasagot ng agency q plane ticket q