Baguio city: The Departments of Education (DepEd) and Migrant Workers (DMW) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) have assured teachers working abroad that they can return to the Philippines and secure permanent positions in the public school system. Arnel Billy Lim, human resource officer of DepEd-CAR, emphasized that teachers endorsed by the DMW under the Sa Pinas Ikaw ang Ma'am at Sir (SPIMS) program are guaranteed employment in DepEd.
According to Philippines News Agency, Lim stated that once the DMW provides a pre-screened list of candidates, those teachers are assured of a job within DepEd. SPIMS, part of the National Reintegration Network in collaboration with the DMW, aims to encourage Filipino teachers working abroad to return home and contribute to the country's education sector. Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) interested in the program may apply through the DMW, which offers reskilling training before endorsing qualified candidates to the DepEd central office. The central office then forwards these applicants to the appropriate division offices for deployment.
Lim further explained that returning teachers, including those who spent years abroad or worked in non-educational fields, will receive professional development training, a teacher induction program, and updates on teaching principles and practices to assist their transition into public school teaching in the Philippines. He reassured that the department is prepared to support these educators.
Recent statistics indicate that in 2025, at least 97 OFWs were hired as teachers in the Cordillera. An additional 104 are set to begin in the school year 2026-2027 and are expected to report to DepEd before August 28. DMW-CAR Regional Director Cheryl Daytec-Yangot clarified that teaching positions under SPIMS are created based on actual needs and do not diminish opportunities for local applicants.
Daytec-Yangot noted that OFW teachers who returned to the Philippines within the past three years still qualify for the program. She emphasized that applicants undergo the same process as local candidates but are assured a position, unlike local applicants who often compete for limited spots. This collaboration is part of the "Bayanihan para sa Balikbayang Manggagawa" under the National Reintegration Program.
The DMW's reintegration program aims to help returning OFWs maximize the financial, social, and skills capital they acquired overseas as they reintegrate into life in the Philippines.
