The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) offers more than a dozen benefit and assistance programs for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families. This list of OWWA benefits explains what each program provides, how much it pays, and who qualifies, using the figures OWWA currently publishes on its official program pages.
Many OFWs pay their membership contribution before deployment and never look closely at what it covers. That is an expensive oversight. An active membership can mean ₱200,000 for a family after an accidental death, up to ₱60,000 a year for a dependent in college, or a business loan of up to ₱2 million after the worker returns home.
The programs below are grouped into five areas: social benefits, scholarships, skills training, reintegration, and pre-departure and repatriation services.
Table of Contents
Who Qualifies for OWWA Benefits
Most OWWA benefits require an active membership. A worker becomes a member by paying the $25 membership contribution, which is usually settled before deployment and covers the duration of the employment contract. Once the contract ends or the membership lapses, most benefits are no longer available until it is renewed.
There are a few exceptions, however. The Welfare Assistance Program accepts both active and inactive members, and the Education and Livelihood Assistance Program covers certain cases where the OFW has at least one recorded contribution. Even so, renewing your membership on time remains the simplest way to protect a family’s eligibility. Members can renew through the OWWA mobile app or at an OWWA office.
1. OWWA Social Benefits: Death, Disability, Medical, and Welfare Aid
These programs provide direct cash support when an OFW dies, is injured, falls seriously ill, or is affected by a disaster or mass layoff.
Death and Disability Benefits
This is OWWA’s insurance package for active members. It combines three payouts:
- Death benefit: ₱100,000 if the OFW dies of natural causes, or ₱200,000 if the death is accidental. The member must have been active at the time of death.
- Burial gratuity: an additional ₱20,000 for funeral expenses, paid on top of the death benefit.
- Disability benefit: ₱2,500 to ₱25,000 for partial disability and ₱50,000 to ₱100,000 for total or permanent disability. This applies only to disabilities caused by accidents.
In practice, the family of an active member who dies in an accident can receive up to ₱220,000 in combined death and burial benefits.
Supplemental Medical Assistance Program (MEDplus)
MEDplus helps active members who were hospitalized for a serious illness, whether at the jobsite or in the Philippines. The amount matches the PhilHealth case rate for the illness, up to a ceiling of ₱50,000 per member.
Note that MEDplus requires both an active OWWA membership and an active PhilHealth membership. A worker who lets PhilHealth contributions lapse will not qualify, even with a valid OWWA membership.
Welfare Assistance Program (WAP)
WAP is a cash relief program for members and families who do not qualify under OWWA’s other benefit programs. It is open to both active and inactive members and covers five situations:
- Natural or human-induced disasters, such as typhoons, earthquakes, severe flooding, or political unrest
- Bereavement for families not covered by the regular death and burial benefits, including deaths caused by accidents or crimes
- Disability resulting from crimes or accidents
- Medical needs for illnesses that MEDplus does not cover
- Mass layoffs or displacement caused by economic, political, or health crises, or by employer bankruptcy
Because WAP accepts inactive members, it is often the first program former OFWs should ask about after a calamity in their home province.
Education and Livelihood Assistance Program (ELAP)
ELAP supports the families of OFWs who died while they were active members. It also covers dependents of OFWs who were imprisoned abroad and sentenced to death, provided the worker made at least one OWWA contribution.
The education component pays up to ₱5,000 per school year for Kinder to Grade 6, ₱8,000 for Grade 7 to Grade 12, and ₱10,000 for college. The dependent may continue receiving support until college. The surviving family also receives ₱15,000 in livelihood assistance to help replace lost income.
2. OWWA Scholarship Programs for OFW Dependents
OWWA runs three college scholarships for dependents who plan to take a four- or five-year degree course. Each program has different selection rules, so it is worth reading the requirements before choosing one.
Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP)
EDSP is the largest grant at up to ₱60,000 per school year, renewable until the scholar finishes a four- or five-year course.
Incoming freshmen are selected through the national examination conducted by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Only the top 1,000 passers qualify, and a separate allocation of 400 slots is reserved for students who are already in college.
OFW Dependents Scholarship Program (ODSP)
ODSP pays ₱20,000 per school year for a baccalaureate or associate course at any college or university. It is intended for lower-income families: the OFW parent must earn no more than $1,000 per month.
For many household service workers, this is the most realistic scholarship option because it does not depend on a competitive national exam.
Congressional Migrant Workers Scholarship Program (CMWSP)
CMWSP grants ₱60,000 per year to migrant workers or their immediate dependents who enroll in priority science and technology courses. Unlike the other two programs, it is open to OFWs as well as their dependents.
Application periods for all three programs are announced on the OWWA scholarship portal at scholarship.owwa.gov.ph. Families should check the portal regularly, since application windows are limited.
3. OWWA Skills Training Programs
OWWA also funds short courses for OFWs and dependents who want to improve their qualifications or move to better-paying work.
Skills-for-Employment Scholarship Program (SESP)
SESP covers up to ₱14,500 per course for technical or vocational programs lasting six months to two years. The school must be accredited by TESDA, MARINA, or another government training institution.
Seafarers’ Upgrading Program (SUP)
SUP gives seafarers up to ₱7,500 per upgrading course at an accredited maritime training center. The first course requires only one recorded OWWA contribution. After that, a seafarer may take another course for every three additional recorded contributions.
Information Technology Training Program (ITTP)
ITTP is a five-day computer literacy course for OFWs and their dependents, held both in the Philippines and at overseas posts. It covers Internet use and basic Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint skills.
4. OWWA Reintegration Benefits for Returning OFWs
These programs help OFWs who are coming home for good and want to earn a living in the Philippines.
Balik-Pinas, Balik-Hanapbuhay Program (BPBH)
BPBH gives returning members ₱20,000 in cash as start-up or additional capital for a small business. The package also includes entrepreneurship training, along with marketing linkages and job referrals.
OFW Enterprise Development and Loan Program
Formerly known as the P2B OFW Reintegration Program, this is a joint program of OWWA and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK). It has two stages.
First, the applicant completes the Enhanced Enterprise Development Training, which includes a business appreciation seminar and business plan preparation. After completing the training, the applicant can borrow ₱100,000 up to ₱2 million as an individual, or up to ₱5 million as a group. The interest rate is fixed at 7.5% per year for the entire loan term.
OFWs must apply within three years of arriving in the Philippines, unless they already had a running business when they applied. This is a loan, not a grant, so approved amounts must be repaid.
5. Pre-Departure and Repatriation Services
Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS)
PDOS prepares departing workers for life and work abroad. It covers employment contracts, travel requirements, workplace rules, and the rights and obligations of OFWs.
Comprehensive Pre-Departure Education Program (CPDEP)
CPDEP is a longer program for household service workers. It covers language, culture, workplace expectations, and adjustment to daily life in the host country.
Repatriation Program
OWWA assists distressed, sick, or stranded OFWs who need to return to the Philippines. Depending on the case, this can include travel arrangements, temporary shelter, airport assistance on arrival, and transport to the worker’s home province.
OFWs facing an emergency abroad should contact the nearest Migrant Workers Office (MWO) or Philippie Embassy right away.
OWWA Benefits Summary Table
| Program | What It Provides | Maximum Amount | Who Qualifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Death Benefit | Cash to survivors | ₱100,000 (natural) / ₱200,000 (accidental) | Families of active members |
| Burial Gratuity | Funeral assistance | ₱20,000 | Families of active members |
| Disability Benefit | Cash for accident-related disability | ₱100,000 | Active members |
| MEDplus | Hospital bill support | ₱50,000 | Active OWWA and PhilHealth members |
| WAP | Emergency cash relief | Varies by case | Active and inactive members |
| ELAP | School and livelihood aid | ₱10,000/year (college) + ₱15,000 livelihood | Dependents of deceased active members |
| EDSP | College scholarship | ₱60,000/year | Dependents who pass the DOST exam |
| ODSP | College scholarship | ₱20,000/year | Dependents of OFWs earning US$1,000/month or less |
| CMWSP | Science and technology scholarship | ₱60,000/year | OFWs or immediate dependents |
| SESP | Tech-voc training | ₱14,500/course | OFWs and dependents |
| SUP | Seafarer upgrading | ₱7,500/course | Seafarers with recorded contributions |
| BPBH | Livelihood start-up capital | ₱20,000 | Returning members |
| Enterprise Loan | Business financing at 7.5% | ₱2M (individual) / ₱5M (group) | Returning OFWs within 3 years of arrival |
How to Apply for OWWA Benefits
The exact documents differ for each program, but the general process is the same:
- Confirm your membership status. Check whether your OWWA membership is active through the OWWA mobile app or by asking an OWWA officer. Renew first if it has lapsed.
- Identify the right program. Use the table above to match your situation to a program, and confirm the eligibility rules on owwa.gov.ph.
- Ask for the current checklist. Request for the program’s list of requirements from OWWA before preparing your documents.
- Prepare your documents. Most claims need proof of OFW status and OWWA membership, plus supporting papers for the specific claim, such as hospital records, school records, or a death certificate.
- File at the correct office. OFWs abroad can file through the OWWA officer at the Migrant Workers Office. Those in the Philippines should go to their OWWA Regional Welfare Office.
- Follow up. Keep copies of everything you submit. For status updates, call the OWWA hotline at 1348 or contact the office where you filed your application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an OWWA membership required to receive benefits?
Yes, for most programs. The death and disability benefits, MEDplus, scholarships, and reintegration programs all require active or recorded membership. The Welfare Assistance Program is the main exception, as it also covers inactive members.
How much does OWWA pay when an OFW dies?
OWWA pays ₱100,000 for death from natural causes and ₱200,000 for accidental death, plus a ₱20,000 burial gratuity. The OFW must have been an active OWWA member at the time of death. Dependents may also qualify for the Education and Livelihood Assistance Program.
Can inactive OWWA members still get help?
Inactive members can apply for the Welfare Assistance Program, which provides cash relief for calamities, bereavement, disability, illness, and mass layoffs. Most other OWWA benefits require an active membership, so renewing before it lapses is strongly advised.
Does OWWA offer business loans to returning OFWs?
Yes. Through the OFW Enterprise Development and Loan Program with LANDBANK, returning OFWs can borrow ₱100,000 to ₱2 million individually, or up to ₱5 million as a group, at a fixed 7.5% annual interest rate. Applicants must complete OWWA’s enterprise training and apply within three years of returning.
How do I apply for an OWWA scholarship?
Monitor the OWWA scholarship portal for the application period. EDSP freshmen must also take the DOST scholarship exam, while ODSP requires that the OFW parent earns no more than $1,000 per month.
What is the OWWA hotline number?
The OWWA hotline is 1348. OFWs abroad can also reach OWWA through the Migrant Workers Office in their host country.
