About this app

In the spirit of Bayanihan and volunteerism, the OFW Watch app and volunteer support network is a private sector initiative, in partnership with the Philippines Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), to empower the overseas Filipinos with the mobile and social networking technology they need to help themselves, help each other and help the government agencies tasked with supporting them.

Features include:
Safety: An Emergency SOS button. Tapping this button will generate an immediate response, including, but not limited to:
- An immediate call back to ascertain the situation.
- An immediate targeted broadcasting of your SOS message and location to the concerned embassy, DOLE and attached agencies, nearby volunteers, community support groups.
- Real-time broadcasting and monitoring of the status of the SOS to final resolution.

Report a Concern:
- Non-emergency reporting function for abuse, missing OFWs or corruption.

Connecting Filipinos:
- Alerts – Users are notified when a Filipino move nearby.
- Find Others – Uses geo-location data to connect you with other OFWs, ex-pats and community groups nearby. Profiles of nearby users, includes a link to their public social networks, such as a Facebook page, to facilitate a connection if both parties mutually agree.
- Check-in functions: Tight integration with Google Places to identify popular/safe locations for Filipinos with reviews and comments by other Filipinos.
- Groups: Ability for users to locate local Filipino Associations/groups or to create local support groups

Ask a Question – A knowledgeable staff and community volunteers monitor all questions and deliver prompt answers on anything under the sun. Anything from how to make chicken soup to how to renew your passport. Ask anything and get an answer. We are here to make your life easier.

OFW Work Journal:
- A DOLE and OWWA supported Work Journal for OFWs to record work conditions.
- Work Journals can be monitored remotely by OWWA and POLO, including posts, photos and videos posted by the OFW in response to specific questions posted to the Work Journal by OWWA or POLO staff.

Resources Library:
- Directories of all Philippine Embassies, Consulates, OWWA, POLO offices. Each listing contains detailed information, including Google maps, hotlines, fax numbers, email addresses, directions and contact names.
- FAQs: hundreds of answers. Frequently asked questions from OWWA, POEA and DFA.
- Programs: Access to programs and mini-website, including currency converter, simple translator, language lessons, tips and much, much more.

New features

* various bug fixes
* fixed Facebook login to comply with their recent privacy changes

App Permissions

Allows applications to open network sockets.
Allows applications to access information about networks.
Allows an application to write to external storage.
Allows an application to read from external storage.
Allows an app to access approximate location.
Allows an app to access precise location.
Required to be able to access the camera device.
Allows access to the list of accounts in the Accounts Service.
Allows an application to read the user's contacts data.
Allows using PowerManager WakeLocks to keep processor from sleeping or screen from dimming.
Allows an app to create windows using the type TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY, shown on top of all other apps.
Allows an application to access data from sensors that the user uses to measure what is happening inside his/her body, such as heart rate.
Allows applications to change network connectivity state.
Allows an application to initiate a phone call without going through the Dialer user interface for the user to confirm the call.
Allows applications to access information about Wi-Fi networks.
Allows applications to change Wi-Fi connectivity state.
Allows read only access to phone state, including the phone number of the device, current cellular network information, the status of any ongoing calls, and a list of any PhoneAccounts registered on the device.