POEA now exempts the seafarers from validation of their travel documents at the Labor Assistance Center (LAC). The Manning Agencies shall, instead, be the ones to report the deployment of their seafarers through a “drop box” data collection system.

Under the “drop box” system, the Manning Agencies shall drop clear photo copies of the e-Receipts or Overseas Employment Certificates (OEC) of their deployed seafarers at a designated drop box which will be located at the Seabased Center Mezzanine Floor, POEA Building. The cut-off time for “dropping” shall not be more than 10:00 AM immediately following the departure date of the seafarers.