Claim OWWA Death and Burial Benefits – How to Apply

OWWA Death and Burial Benefits: Support in Times of Loss for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their Families

Losing a loved one is an incredibly challenging experience, and when it happens while they are living and working abroad as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW), the difficulties can be magnified. However, during these trying times, the Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) extends a helping hand to the surviving next of kin. OWWA offers a comprehensive range of death and burial benefits to provide support for the necessary arrangements and expenses involved.

The passing of an OFW family member can place an immense emotional and financial burden on their loved ones back home. Recognizing this, OWWA strives to alleviate the burdens by providing various benefits and assistance packages. These benefits include financial aid to cover funeral and burial expenses, transportation costs for repatriating the remains, and even livelihood assistance to help the bereaved family transition during this difficult period.

By accessing OWWA’s death and burial benefits, surviving next of kin can find solace in the fact that they are not alone in their grief and are provided with the necessary resources to navigate the challenging logistics and expenses involved in laying their loved one to rest. OWWA’s support aims to lighten the load and ease the financial strain during an undoubtedly difficult time.

To provide you with more information about the OWWA death and burial benefits, let’s discuss the qualifications, requirements, and application process for claiming these benefits:

Qualifications:

1. The deceased OFW must have been an active OWWA member at the time of their death.
2. The cause of death should be work-related or occurred during the duration of the OFW’s employment contract.

Requirements:

1. Death Certificate – Obtain an authenticated copy of the OFW’s death certificate from the local authorities or foreign embassy/consulate.
2. Certificate of Employment – Secure a Certificate of Employment specifying the nature of the OFW’s work and the date of their death. This can be obtained from the employer or the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in the host country.
3. Insurance Policy – If the OFW had an existing insurance policy, provide a copy of the policy document.
4. Identification Documents – Prepare valid identification documents of the claimant (next of kin) and the deceased OFW, such as passports, birth certificates, or any other government-issued IDs.
5. OWWA Membership Document – Submit proof of the OFW’s OWWA membership, such as the OWWA e-card or official receipt.

Application Process:

1. Inform the Philippine embassy or consulate in the host country about the OFW’s death and request assistance in repatriating the remains.
2. Contact the nearest OWWA office or the OWWA Hotline (1348) to report the death and seek guidance regarding the required documents and application process.
3. Complete the necessary forms provided by the OWWA and submit them along with the required documents.
4. OWWA will assess the application and review the documents submitted.
5. Once the claim is approved, OWWA will provide the death and burial benefits, which may include financial assistance for repatriation, funeral expenses, and livelihood support for the surviving next of kin.

What are OWWA’s Death and Burial Benefits?

The OWWA Death and Burial benefit is indeed a program initiated by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in accordance with the Republic Act (RA) 10801, also known as the “Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Act.” This program aims to provide financial assistance to the surviving family members of active OWWA members who pass away while their employment contract is still active.

The primary purpose of this program is to assist the surviving family members in giving their deceased loved one a proper send-off and to help them cope with the financial burdens associated with the death and burial process. It provides a sense of closure to the family knowing that they can rely on the support of the OWWA Death and Burial Program during their time of grief.

The program consists of two main components: the death benefit and the burial gratuity. The death benefit is an insurance benefit provided to the eligible beneficiaries of deceased Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who were active OWWA members at the time of their death. It offers cash aid to the surviving relatives, which may vary depending on whether the death was due to natural causes or an accident.

In addition to the death benefit, the OWWA Death and Burial program also provides a burial gratuity. This gratuity is in the form of a funeral grant given to the beneficiaries of the deceased OFW. It serves as financial assistance to cover the costs associated with giving the departed loved one a dignified burial.

OWWA Death and Burial Benefits

The OWWA Death and Burial Benefit offers the following benefits to the family members of active OWWA members who died while their job contract was still active:

• Cash Assistance in the event of death
  • Php 100,000.00 if the OFW dies of natural causes
  • Php 200,00.00 for OFWs who died of accidental causes
• Burial gratuity amounting to Php 20,000.00 to help pay for some of the burial costs.

Qualifications

When claiming the benefits of the OWWA Death and Burial Program, the following conditions must be met, as provisioned by Section 7 of the OWWA Act:

The beneficiary must be a qualified dependent of a deceased OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker). The qualified dependents can include:

1. Legal spouse: The husband or wife of the deceased OFW.
2. Children: This includes unmarried and non-working legitimate, illegitimate, legitimated, and legally adopted children who are not over the age of majority.
3. Incapacitated adult children: Unmarried legitimate, illegitimate, legitimated, and legally adopted children of legal age who are incapacitated and incapable of self-support due to a mental or physical defect.
4. Parents: The parents who rely primarily upon the member-OFW for support.
5. Sibling: Unmarried and non-working siblings who are not over the age of majority.
6. Incapacitated adult siblings: Unmarried and non-working siblings who are over the age of majority but incapacitated and incapable of self-support due to a mental or physical defect.

To meet the eligibility requirements, the deceased OFW must fulfill the following criteria:

1. Active OWWA member: The deceased OFW must have been an active member of OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration).
2. Land-based or sea-based OFW: The deceased OFW should have been working either as a land-based OFW or a sea-based OFW.
3. Cause of death: The deceased OFW should have passed away due to natural causes or accidental causes.

Document Requirements

The following list of documents are required in order for the eligible beneficiaries to claim the OWWA death and burial assistance:

For Qualified Claimant

These are the requirements for the OWWA Death Claim Application:

1. Duly accomplished OWWA Death Claim Application Form: This is a form provided by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) that needs to be filled out accurately and completely.
2. Original Death Certificate: The death certificate must be validated by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) or issued by the local civil registrar (LCR). It should be an official document stating the cause, date, and place of death.
3. Affidavit of Undertaking: This document should be executed by the claimant, affirming their responsibility and commitment to complying with the necessary requirements and procedures for the OWWA Death Claim.
4. Proof of OWWA Membership: The claimant needs to provide evidence of the deceased OFW’s membership with OWWA. This can be in the form of an OWWA Membership Record (MR).
5. Copy of Passport or Seaman’s Identification Record Book (SIRB): If the deceased OFW is a member, a copy of their passport or SIRB should be submitted as proof of identity and membership.
6. Two (2) Valid IDs: The claimant must provide two valid identification cards that establish their identity.
7. One (1) copy of ID Picture of claimant (1×1): A recent passport-sized photograph of the claimant should be included.
8. Police or Accident Report: If the OFW’s death resulted from an accident, a police or accident report documenting the incident should be provided.
9. Burial permit: The claimant needs to submit the burial permit issued by the local government unit (LGU) or relevant authority.
10. Official Receipt (OR) of Funeral Costs: The claimant should provide the official receipt showing the expenses incurred for the funeral.
11. PSA-issued Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) of OFW: If the claimant is the spouse, a Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) should be included to verify that the deceased OFW was not married at the time of their death.
12. Proof of Relationship to OFW: Depending on the claimant’s relationship to the deceased OFW, the following documents are required:

• If the applicant is the spouse, a marriage certificate is needed to establish the marital relationship.
• If the claimant is the child, the child’s birth certificate and the deceased parent’s death certificate should be provided to establish the parent-child relationship.

For OFWs who died while working abroad:

• Foreign Death Certificate,
• Airway Bill
• Consular Mortuary Certificate, or
• No Objection Certificate,

If a birth/marriage certificate is not available:

• A certificate from the LCR stating that the fact of the marriage/birth is not registered in the civil registry
• Certificate of Baptism/Marriage from the Parish Priest/Office
• Affidavits of two (2) unrelated individuals stating the details of the claimant’s birth/marriage and connection to the deceased
• Affidavit of Undertaking executed by the claimant (Police report if death is due to an accident

How to Claim Death and Burial Benefits from OWWA

To avail of the OWWA Death and Burial Benefits, claimants need to follow these steps:

1. Secure an appointment: Use either the appointment scheduler available on the OWWA website (appointment.owwa.gov.ph) or the appointment scheduler on the OWWA Mobile App to book an appointment with the nearest OWWA Regional Welfare Office (RWO).
2. Visit the OWWA Regional Welfare Office: On the selected date of the appointment, go to the OWWA Regional Welfare Office that covers the permanent address of the Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW).
3. Get a queuing number: Once at the office, obtain a queuing number and wait for your turn.
4. Membership verification: Present the OFW ID or provide information to the Membership Verification Desk. Based on the status of membership, you will receive an application form and a checklist of requirements.
5. Submit the required documents: Accomplish the claim form and submit it along with all the necessary documents for validation and evaluation. The specific documents required may vary, so make sure to check the provided checklist for the complete list.
6. Await approval: After submitting the claim form and documents, the OWWA will review your application. If approved, you will be notified accordingly.
7. Claim financial assistance: Once your application is approved, present the claim stub to receive the financial assistance. The assistance can be disbursed either through a check or a cash pay-out, depending on the OWWA’s policies and procedures.
   

   Important Reminders

   Please see other important information about claiming death benefits from OWWA below:

The statement you provided appears to be related to the process of Death and Burial assistance provided to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the Philippines. Here’s a breakdown of the information:

1. Death and Burial assistance eligibility: The assistance is only provided to OFWs who have passed away during the duration of their contract.
2. Application tracking: After submitting the application, the claimant will receive a serial reference/tracking number through SMS or email. This number can be used to track the status of the application.
3. Incomplete or invalid requirements: If applicants submit incomplete or invalid requirements, they will be notified of the missing or invalidated documents through SMS or email.
4. Active account requirement: To receive the assistance, eligible claimants must have an active bank account in their name. If they don’t have one, they will need to open a savings account in the name of the OFW child or relative who is the claimant.
5. Transfer of cash assistance: Within two weeks of the application’s acceptance, the cash assistance from the OWWA Death and Burial Benefit will be transferred directly to the OFW applicant’s account or to a designated beneficiary through bank transfer or electronic payment facility.
6. Document approval: All required documents must be approved by the local civil registrar (LCR) or the Philippine Statistics Office (PSA). This step ensures that the necessary paperwork is in order.

OFW Benefits in Death

Let’s hear all about the benefits that OWWA member OFWs and their eligible beneficiaries may receive upon the death of their OFW resident

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions and answers regarding the OWWA Death and Burial Benefits:

1. How would I know if the application to claim for the OWWA Death and Burial Benefits has been accepted?

Once the application is accepted by the relevant authorities at OWWA, claimants will receive a call, text, or email from the DOLE or OWWA regional offices closest to the applicant’s area.

2. Will I get cash support for my father’s or mother’s death?

Yes. To do so, swiftly secure the following requirements to support your claim:

• Affidavit of Undertaking executed by the claimant (Police report if due to an accidental death)
• Original Death Certificate validated by the Philippine Statistics Authority(PSA) or issued by the local civil registrar (LCR)
• Foreign Death Certificate, including Airway Bill and Consular Mortuary Certificate or No Objection Certificate, for OFWs who died while working abroad.

3. Do I need to bring anything when claiming the assistance under the program?

Yes. You will need to bring and present any 2 (original and valid copy) of the following IDs:

• Passport
• Office ID
• Postal ID
• Driver’s license
• Original NBI clearance
• Senior Citizenship ID

4. Can the deceased OFW’s child claim the assistance?

Yes. Children of deceased OWWA member OFWs, whether legitimate, illegitimate, legitimated or legally adopted, can claim the assistance. Just note that if the claimant is the child, the child’s birth certificate and that of the deceased parent’s death certificate are required as proof of relationship with the OFW.

5. How can I claim the burial benefits?

To claim for the burial gratuity and receive funds for the funeral expenses, you just need to submit the burial permit along with the Official Receipt of Funeral Costs at the OWWA RWO.

Summary

claiming death and burial benefits for loved ones. It is indeed a challenging process, especially during a time of loss. However, it is essential to acknowledge that the OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) Death and Burial Benefit is something that the deceased relative has contributed to, and claiming the rightful benefit is a way to honor their life and the investment they made. Claim OWWA Death and Burial Benefits

While you mentioned a guide, it seems that it might have been cut off or not provided in your message. If you have any specific questions or need further assistance regarding the process of claiming these benefits,