Four years after its establishment, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has expanded its role beyond facilitating overseas employment.
As President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. prepares to deliver his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), the department highlighted how its responsibilities now include worker protection, crisis response, digital transformation, reintegration, and stronger enforcement against illegal recruitment and human trafficking.
Created in 2022 to consolidate government services for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the DMW initially focused on streamlining deployment and improving access to assistance.
Today, it supports workers before deployment, during employment abroad, and after they return home.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the department’s accomplishments reflect the government’s response to an increasingly uncertain global labor environment marked by conflicts, geopolitical tensions, and illegal recruitment.
Responding to Global Labor Challenges
As international conflicts continue to disrupt employment and threaten worker safety, the DMW has shifted its focus from increasing deployment to strengthening worker protection.
The department now offers services ranging from pre-departure orientation and digital processing to legal assistance, emergency evacuation, employer regulation, family support, and reintegration.
Despite global uncertainties, the government continues expanding labor partnerships with countries seeking skilled Filipino workers. Japan, Germany, Austria, and Canada remain key destinations for nurses, caregivers, and other professionals, while Gulf countries continue to provide employment opportunities.
Meanwhile, the Philippine labor market has also shown improvement. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported 48.87 million employed Filipinos in May 2026, while unemployment fell to 4.8 percent.
These gains have encouraged government agencies to prioritize both job creation and workforce development.
Strengthening Protection During Crises
Protecting OFWs during emergencies has become one of the DMW’s primary responsibilities.
This year, tensions in parts of the Middle East affected deployment schedules, while attacks on commercial vessels in the northern Black Sea placed Filipino seafarers at greater risk.
Speaking on DZMM’s Balitapatan, Secretary Cacdac said the department was monitoring around 15 ships carrying about 169 Filipino seafarers.
“We have already asked the manning agencies and ship owners to bring them all home because their ships were attacked,” he said.
The DMW continues to discourage deployment to high-risk areas, including the northern Black Sea, the Red Sea, and the Strait of Hormuz.
Secretary Cacdac reminded Filipino seafarers that the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers protects their right to refuse deployment to designated conflict areas.
“If they refuse to sail, they will be given a two-month salary, free repatriation and non-discrimination for future employment,” he said.
Licensed manning agencies that fail to comply with conflict-zone monitoring and reporting requirements also face possible suspension.
Expanding Repatriation and Reintegration
The DMW has expanded both emergency response and reintegration programs as overseas crises continue to affect Filipino workers.
According to Secretary Cacdac, about 10,500 OFWs affected by the recent Middle East crisis have been repatriated, while around 18,000 workers whose jobs or incomes were disrupted received financial assistance abroad.
Beyond repatriation, the government works with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to provide employment assistance, livelihood opportunities, entrepreneurship support, and skills training for returning workers.
These programs aim to help OFWs rebuild their careers and achieve long-term financial stability while continuing to support their families.
Increased Government Support
The DMW’s expanded responsibilities have been matched by increased government investment.
The Marcos administration approved an additional ₱3 billion for the AKSYON Fund, which finances legal assistance, medical support, financial aid, repatriation, and other welfare services for OFWs facing emergencies abroad.
The department has also conducted 25 overseas service caravans benefiting more than 100,000 OFWs and 15 reintegration caravans assisting around 40,000 returning workers.
Meanwhile, the One Repatriation Command Center has provided assistance to over 30,000 OFWs since its establishment.
“I have visited the families of the two deceased seafarers. We always look for the welfare of the children left behind,” Secretary Cacdac said.
He also recalled meeting one child who worried about continuing school after losing a parent. “May isang anak… kinakabahan siya na baka mag-struggle siya sa studies niya (There’s a child… he was worried that he might struggle with his studies).”
Cacdac explained that government support now includes psychosocial counseling, educational assistance, and financial aid.
Advancing Enforcement and Digital Reforms
Alongside worker welfare initiatives, the DMW continues to strengthen its enforcement and digital transformation efforts.
The department’s campaign against illegal recruitment and human trafficking has resulted in 36 convictions, the closure of 72 establishments, and the removal of approximately 200,000 illegal online job advertisements from Facebook and TikTok.
Digital innovation has also improved the delivery of government services. The DMW has issued nearly 500,000 OFW passes to replace the traditional Overseas Employment Certificate while integrating its services into the government’s eGovPH platform.
The department has also begun piloting digital verification of overseas employment contracts in Dubai before expanding the initiative to Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong.
To improve the travel experience of overseas workers, the DMW has expanded OFW lounges at major airports across the country. Around two million OFWs have already benefited from these facilities, with Davao International Airport becoming the latest airport to open an OFW Lounge.
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