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I. BACKGROUND

On February 12, 2008, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo directed the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Labor and Employment and the Philippine

Overseas Employment Administration to deal with the concerns on the repatriation of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) purportedly as an aftermath of psychological and/ or psychiatric disorders.

In response to the Presidential Directive, the DOH through the Bureau of Health Facilities and Services (BHFS) conducted more stringent inspections, monitoring and spot-checking activities of DOH accredited medical clinics providing psychological examinations for overseas work applicants by including a psychologist as a member of the regulatory team. This was followed by the creation of a technical working group in view of Department Personnel Order No. 2008-3392 to review and evaluate the standards and requirements of psychological tests which measure emotional and environmental adaptability of OFWs.

Pursuant to Administrative Order (AO) No. 1, s. 2003 entitled “Operational Guidelines in the Conduct of Pre-Employment Medical Examination of Overseas Workers and Seafarers,” applicants for overseas work are required to undergo PEME at medical clinics accredited by the DOH. Part of the PEME is psychological screening and evaluation which includes the following battery of psychological tests: 1) Draw a Person Test (DAOT) or House Tree Person Test, 2) Sack’s Sentence Completion Test (SSCT), 3) Bender Gestalt Motor Visual Test, and 4) Raven’s Progressive Matrices or Purdue Non-Language Test.

Subsequently, on February 28, 2009, the DOH through the BHFS, issued AO No. 2009-0002 “Addendum to AO No. 1, s. 2003 Operational Guidelines in the Conduct of Pre-Employment Medical Examination for Overseas Workers and Seafarers” which states in part that psychologists without a master’s degree and a course in psychological assessment are advised to use the 16 Personality Factors Test, Filipino version, in lieu of the DAPT and the SSCT”. In addition, to enhance the capability of psychometricians and psychologists working in DOH accredited medical clinics, annual orientation workshops and trainings have been conducted by the DOH in coordination with the National Center for Mental Health and the Philippine Psychological Corporation in 2008 and 2009 respectively. This Order took into account the recommendations of competent authorities and is a result of several reviews and consultations made with concerned stakeholders including the academe.

In view of the foregoing and with the advent of Republic Act (RA) No. 10029 known as “Philippine Psychology Act of 2009,” it is evident that the DOH has aligned its activities and issuances with the aforementioned RA way before it was approved and then published last March 25, 2010, to professionalize the conduct of psychological examination for overseas work applicants.

II. OBJECTIVE

This Order aims to standardize and update the conduct of psychological examinations for overseas work applicants.

III. SCOPE OF APPLICATION

This Order applies to all DOH accredited medical clinics providing psychological services for overseas work applicants.

IV. DEFINITION OF TERMS

For purposes of this Order, the following terms and acronyms shall have the following definition:

A. Accreditation – the formal authorization issued by the DOH to an individual, partnership, corporation or association to operate a medical facility for overseas workers and seafarers.

B. Applicant – refers to a person who is applying for work abroad and is required to undergo PEME prior to deployment.

C. BHFS – acronym for the Bureau of Health Facilities and Services, the regulatory body of the DOH.

D. DOH – acronym for the Department of Health.

E. DOH Accredited Medical Clinics – refers to medical facilities for overseas workers and seafarers.

F. Inspection/Monitoring Tool – the checklist utilized by the regulatory officers during inspection or monitoring visits to evaluate compliance of DOH accredited medical clinics to minimum standards and requirements in the conduct of psychological examinations for overseas work applicants.

G. OFW – acronym for Overseas Filipino Worker.

H. PEME – acronym for Pre-Employment Medical Examination. It refers to the complete medical examination that is implemented on an applicant as a requirement for screening to determine whether he is physically and mentally fit to work.

I. Psychologist – an individual who is duly licensed as professional psychologist in accordance with RA 10029. Psychologists shall take full responsibility for the supervision of psychometrician(s) and their work in the DOH accredited medical clinic as stipulated under Article III Section 3, (c) and (d) of RA 10029 known as “Philippine Psychology Act of 2009.”

J. Psychometrician – an individual who is duly licensed as psychometrician in accordance with RA 10029 known as “Philippine Psychology Act of 2009.”

K. Raven’s Progressive Matrices or Purdue Non-Language Test – non-verbal psychological tests measuring a person’s intellectual capability through abstract reasoning.

L. 16 PF Test – acronym for 16 Personality Factors Test. It is a self-report personality inventory developed by Raymund B. Cattell to measure the 16 personality dimensions that emerged from his factor analysis of a wide range of traits. The most recent edition being referred to in this Order is the 5th edition of the original test.

V. POLICIES

  A. General Policies

1. Psychological examinations for overseas work applicants shall be performed only in DOH accredited medical clinics.

2. All DOH accredited medical clinics shall follow the standards, criteria and requirements in the conduct of psychological examinations prescribed in the inspection/monitoring tool for accreditation of medical facilities for overseas workers and seafarers.

3. A full time psychologist registered with the BHFS shall take the full responsibility of the psychological screening and evaluation which includes, but is not limited to, the following:

a) A minimum battery of psychological tests namely 16 PF Test (English or Filipino), Raven’s Progressive Matrices or Purdue Non-Language Test;
b) An autobiography;
c) A comprehensive interview

4. All DOH accredited medical clinics shall notify the BHFS in writing within 15 days of any change in personnel, physical facility and/or any additional psychological test above the minimum requirement stipulated in V.A.3.a). Should psychological test(s) above the minimum requirement be added to the battery, the management of DOH accredited medical clinics shall ensure that their personnel have the required qualification and training to administer, score, interpret and write reports on such test(s).

5. The enhanced psychological test shall be at no added cost to the applicant.

B. Specific Policies

1. Standards

a) Every DOH accredited medical clinic shall be organized to provide quality, effective and efficient psychological services for overseas work applicants.
b) There shall be documented administrative and technical policies and procedures which includes but is not limited to, human resources; materials and supplies for the psychological examinations to be provided; documents, records and communication; physical facilities/work environment for the operation and maintenance of the psychological facility; referral for further psychological evaluation, which shall ensure the quality of psychological results.
c) The aforementioned policies and procedures in the conduct of psychological examination for overseas work applicants shall be in accordance with the manual of operating procedures being formulated by the DOH through the BHFS.
d) The DOH shall establish an electronic uploading system for the submission of standard data of all DOH accredited medical clinics which shall, without fail, submit monthly consolidated, electronic and hard copy reports to the BHFS every first week of each succeeding month following the psychological evaluation format posted at the DOH website.
e) All DOH accredited medical clinics, through their Organization, shall establish and maintain an information technology system, through a service provider of their own choice, that shall ensure accurate and reliable psychological and medical results for transmission at no cost to DOH. The aforesaid results established and maintained through an information technology system shall be at no added cost to the applicant.

2. Validity of results

Psychological test results shall have to be valid to be issued a PEME certificate. The 16 PF Test results are generally valid for 12-18 months upon completion, or less if individuals undergo major and significant changes in their work and/or life circumstances.

3. Accreditation

The accreditation of medical facilities for overseas workers and seafarers may be revoked, suspended or modified in full or in part for any false statement by the management and/or staff of the medical facility, or as shown by the record of inspection or monitoring activities or for a violation of, or failure to comply with any of the terms, conditions or provisions of these policies, rules and regulations.

VI. VIOLATION/PENALTY

Any violation of RA 10029, this Order and/or its related issuances by any DOH accredited medical clinic shall be penalized under Section IX Paragraph 2 of AO No. 181, s. 2004.

VII. REPEALING CLAUSE

Provisions from previous issuances that are inconsistent or contrary to the provisions of this Order are hereby rescinded and modified accordingly.

VIII. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE

In the event that any provision or part of this Order is declared unauthorized or rendered invalid by any court of law or competent authority, those provisions not affected by such declaration shall remain valid and effective.

IX. EFFECTIVITY

This Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its approval and publication in a newspaper of general circulation and shall be subject for review three (3) years after its implementation.

(SGD.) ENRIQUE T. ONA, M.D.
  Secretary of Health