Manila: The Philippine government is scaling up long-term reintegration support for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), with a stronger focus on entrepreneurship and livelihood rebuilding through the National Reintegration Network (NRN), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan said.
According to Philippines News Agency, in an interview on Bagong Pilipinas on Tuesday, she noted that more than 10,000 OFWs and their dependents have been repatriated from the Middle East amid the ongoing regional tension, adding that Philippine authorities continue evacuation operations while expanding reintegration programs.
'As of now, as we speak, meron tayong over 10,000 mga kababayan na napauwi na mga OFWs at kanilang dependents at sunod-sunod yung ating mga repatriation flights. Kakagaling lang po namin ni Sec. Hans Leo Cacdac sa Kuwait kung saan kasabay namin umuwi ang mahigit 320 na ating mga kababayan mula sa Kuwait (we have more than 10,000 of our fellow citizens, OFWs, and their dependents, who have been repatriated, and our repatriation flights are ongoing. Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac and I just returned from Kuwait, where we returned home with more than 320 of our fellow countrymen from Kuwait),' she said.
Caunan noted that reintegration efforts led by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the OWWA extend well beyond immediate assistance, as these aim to help returning workers stabilize, recover, and eventually build sustainable income sources here in the country.
While distributing financial and other forms of assistance for repatriated OFWs, she also noted that government support begins with care before economic recovery.
'Hindi lamang ang financial assistance kasi naputol ang trabaho nila, but ang pagkalinga sa kanila (Not only financial assistance because their jobs were cut off, but also care for them),' she said.
Caunan, meanwhile, underscored that the whole-of-government's NRN is designed to ensure that reintegration services are not concentrated in urban centers but reach returning OFWs in their home provinces.
She said the network brings together government agencies, such as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Labor and Employment, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to provide coordinated livelihood and enterprise support.
'Close to 70 percent ang naghahanap pa rin ng trabaho abroad. But meron ding porsyento na naghahanap din ng trabaho dito at gusto rin magnegosyo. Nandoon din sila sa mga probinsya lalo na ang ating mga OFWs na bumalik (Nearly 70 percent are still looking for a job abroad. But there is also a percentage that is looking for work here and wants to start a business. They are also in the provinces, especially our OFWs who have returned),' Caunan said.
She noted that many repatriated workers eventually return to rural areas where access to livelihood programs, financing, and government support can be limited.
Caunan said that reintegration begins with psychosocial care and immediate assistance, but many OFWs transition into livelihood programs once they are ready to rebuild their income sources.
'After two to three months, saka sila babalik sa amin to seek livelihood opportunities at marami na rin tayong mga natulungan na mga OFWs na bumalik, na ngayon ay negosyante na (they come back and seek livelihood opportunities, and we have already helped many OFWs who have returned and are now business owners)' she said.
Expanded financing
Caunan explained that a key pillar of the NRN strategy is improved access to capital through the DTI's financing arm, SB Corp.
'Nag-allot sila ng PHP2 billion na available para sa ating mga kababayan OFWs na gustong magnegosyo o meron nang negosyo at gustong palakihin ang kanilang negosyo (They allocated PHP2 billion that is available to our fellow OFWs who want to start a business or already have a business and want to expand it),' she said.
'Napakaganda ng terms. Nag-offer sila ng micro loans ng PHP30,000 to PHP300,000 at 1 percent interest (per month) lamang on diminishing balance (The terms are very good. They offer micro loans of PHP30,000 to PHP300,000 with only 1 percent interest [per month] on a diminishing balance)."
Caunan said the partnership complements OWWA's Balik Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay program, which provides initial startup assistance but often requires additional financing for business expansion.
Upskilling, education pathways for OFWs
Another key reintegration strategy, Caunan said, involves skills upgrading through TESDA training and the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP), in partnership with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
She said that under ETEEAP, years of work experience may be credited toward college degrees, allowing workers to qualify for licensure exams in such fields as engineering.
Caunan cited OFWs she met in Saudi Arabia who are working in engineering firms, but without an actual college diploma.
'Hindi sila nakatapos ng engineering course pero umabot na rin ng dekada ang kanilang experience. At dahil sa ETEEAP program, magkakaroon sila ng pagkakataon na magkaroon ng college degree in engineering at leading ito sa kanilang pagkuha rin ng kanilang licensure exam (They did not finish an engineering course but have already reached a decade of experience. And because of the ETEEAP program, they will have the opportunity to obtain a college degree in engineering, leading them to obtain their licensure exam),' she said.
Caunan noted that this will open up more opportunities for OFWs, including promotions in the workplace, and more opportunities in case they decide to come home to the Philippines or look for another job.
'So ang hope natin is with upscaling and employment facilitation pathway, mas magiging madali ang pag-adjust ng ating bumabalik na OFWs sa Pilipinas (We hope that with the upscaling and employment facilitation pathway, it will be easier for our returning OFWs to adjust in the Philippines),' she said.
