Mandaluyong city: The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) continues to expand its reintegration programs, redirecting the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by conflicts and disruptions abroad towards jobs, skills training, and livelihood opportunities back home.
According to Philippines News Agency, in a press briefing at the DMW main office in Mandaluyong City, DMW Undersecretary Felicitas Bay and Assistant Secretary Kiko de Guzman stated that the government's reintegration efforts have accelerated, particularly for the thousands of Filipino workers affected by the conflict in the Middle East. De Guzman highlighted that since President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the launch of the National Reintegration Network (NRN) caravan last April, the DMW has visited almost all regions to check on returning OFWs.
De Guzman reported, "Nakapagtala na po tayo ng mahigit 4,000 na former OFWs at mahigit 700 na recently repatriated OFWs that have been provided with frontline services and that have been assisted sa kanila pong reintegration needs kabilang na po diyan ang mga kaalaman, kabuhayan, and kalinga programs po natin (We have already recorded more than 4,000 former OFWs and over 700 recently repatriated OFWs who have been provided with frontline services and assisted with their reintegration needs, including knowledge, livelihood and care programs)."
The NRN, spearheaded by the DMW, is a unified inter-agency program developed by the Philippine government to offer comprehensive, full-cycle support to returning OFWs. Through this initiative, the DMW, along with 15 other agencies, ensures that returning workers receive immediate livelihood, employment, and psychosocial assistance, sparing them from uncertainty upon their return.
The DMW, through the NRN, also conducts caravans across regions to connect returning workers with government services, employment assistance, financial support programs, and training opportunities. Bay noted that over 2,000 returning OFWs have already expressed interest in availing of these services and programs.
Bay detailed the interest levels: "Doon sa ating livelihood, ang nag-signify sa amin sa livelihood ay 1,500 more or less. Sa (For the livelihood, around 1,500 signified interest. For) local employment, more than 600. For redeployment, it's 1,300 more or less." She mentioned that some repatriated OFWs intend to return to their previous countries of employment, pending the normalization of the situation, as their employers have not canceled their contracts.
Bay also mentioned ongoing interest among repatriated OFWs in seeking employment opportunities in other countries through government-to-government programs. She noted, "Banggitin ko lang siguro noong (Let me also mention, in) 2023 and 2024, I guess you're all aware of the Israel-Hamas conflict. So in that conflict, some of the repatriates from Israel, they applied with our government-to-government Placement Bureau for Croatia, 17 hotel workers and some caregivers."
She cited a caregiver who shifted careers by enrolling in TESDA using a voucher provided upon her arrival in the country. "So, there's life after any conflict or hostility. There's life after repatriation," Bay stated.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac emphasized that skills development has become a major focus of reintegration efforts, including expanded training programs in caregiving and emergency health services. De Guzman added that training courses in artificial intelligence are now being offered. "Expanded program po ito, i-offer sa iba't ibang regions sa Pilipinas para sa ating mga OFWs (This is an expanded program that we will offer to our OFWs from different regions nationwide) because we believe our OFWs need to be future-ready," De Guzman said.
The DMW is also working with licensed recruitment agencies and employers to open new pathways for displaced workers. For the Philippine Independence Day celebration on June 12, the DMW anticipates that around 10 to 12 participating agencies will join a job fair offering more than 4,000 vacancies across Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Americas.
DMW Undersecretary Darlene Pajarito highlighted that apart from overseas redeployment, reintegration efforts are increasingly focused on helping workers find opportunities within the country. She shared an example from Region 9, where 142 teachers who were previously working abroad in low-level skills jobs are now employed as licensed teachers. "So sometimes it's just closing the gap, within our country, there are opportunities, it's just that there's a gap in the connection. So as much as possible, as part of our integration strategy is to close that gap as well and help them find work in our home country," Pajarito explained.
She emphasized that the broader objective is to create a full-cycle support system that does not end once workers return home.
