MANILA - Voting 246-0, the House of Representatives approves on third and final reading House Bill 9305, which expands the use of the legal assistance fund and the "Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFWs na nangangailangan (AKSYON)" Fund.

The Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs explained in its fact sheet that the bill makes the Legal Assistance Fund (LAF) under Republic Act 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 available to overseas Filipinos if they want to file labor complaints or criminal complaints against their employers or other persons.

It also makes the LAF available to an overseas Filipino from the time of the latter's investigation, detention, arrest, or indictment up to trial and at all levels of appeal.

It also delineates the functions of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Migrant Workers in providing legal assistance to overseas Filipinos, which is retained by the DFA, and to overseas Filipino workers which would be under the DMW.

However, the DFA shall extend legal and other forms of assistance to OFWs in countries and territories where there are no Migrant Workers Offices yet.

The bill will be sent to the Senate for approval.