Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act
Section 1. Applicability of Criteria for Receiving Countries. In compliance with Section 4 of the Act, the DFA shall, within 90 days from effectivity of these Rules and Regulations, issue the certification for countries where the Philippines maintains an embassy.
In countries where the Philippine Embassy exercises concurrent jurisdiction and where the Ambassador is non-resident, the DFA shall have one hundred twenty days (120) from the effectivity of these Rules to issue the certification required in Section 4 of the Act. Prior to the expiration of the aforesaid period, the secretary of Foreign Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor and Employment, shall allow the reasonable extension of the period for the issuance of the certification upon a determination that there is a need therefor.
Pending the issuance of the required certifications of compliance or determinations of non-compliance and within the periods mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, the deployment of migrant workers overseas shall proceed on a status quo basis.
For purposes of issuance of the certifications, the DFA shall, in consultation with the POEA, issue a standard format to be accomplished by all Foreign Service posts.