Manila: The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) closed 2025 with an unprecedented reach in protecting and assisting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), combining digital innovation, crisis response, and strict law enforcement. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the department was guided by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s 'red carpet, not red tape' directive.
According to Philippines News Agency, among the strategic priorities implemented by the department in 2025 were the assurance of a safe and orderly overseas migration through rights-based bilateral partnerships, guaranteeing the protection and welfare of OFWs through enhanced welfare programs, systematic emergency response, repatriation of distressed OFWs, and improved digital services, among others. Through its digitalization efforts, the agency processed a total of 514,966 e-Travel and OFW Pass transactions, reducing reliance on the decades-old Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC).
Following the President's instruction to deepen bilateral labor relations, Cacdac said the DMW pursued 10 new bilateral labor agreements in 2025, bringing the country's total to 72 agreements, the highest for any labor-sending nation. 'These agreements are the backbone of our labor diplomacy,' Cacdac said, stressing that they translate into concrete protections, access to justice, and safer working conditions for Filipinos abroad.
The physical infrastructure for OFWs has also seen significant growth. DMW's OFW lounges located inside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals 1 and 3 served 856,551 workers, while 184,844 seafarers utilized seafarers' hubs, and 179,450 OFWs visited 23 Migrants' Brews nationwide. Healthcare support for OFWs and their families was also expanded as the OFW Hospital in San Fernando, Pampanga, upgraded from Level 1 to Level 2, adding an intensive care unit (ICU) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) facilities, and serving over 115,000 beneficiaries, performing over 237,000 procedures and diagnostic tests.
The DMW's Aksyon (Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFWs na Nangangailangan) Fund reached 98 percent utilization, delivering financial, medical, legal, and repatriation assistance to 160,769 OFWs and families. 'Aksyon Fund was a lot better in terms of utilization for 2025,' Cacdac said. 'Our goal is 100 percent utilization next year. Every worker in need should get help immediately,' he emphasized.
Law enforcement efforts also reached record levels in 2025, with 32 illegal recruitment establishments closed, which more than doubled the previous year's 15. Six convictions were also secured, and 25 individuals linked to scam hubs were arrested or faced prosecution. 'This is a record-breaking year for enforcement. Illegal recruiters and traffickers will face justice,' Cacdac said.
For domestic workers, DMW rolled out new safeguards, including wage standards that increase the rate from USD400 to USD500 minimum monthly salary. A 'know-your-employer' video interview system is also scheduled for full launch in 2026, ensuring workers are familiar with their employers before deployment. Meanwhile, the 'Kamusta Kabayan' program, a dedicated platform for real-time welfare monitoring, enabling OFWs to connect directly with DMW offices, report concerns, and receive assistance anytime, anywhere in the world, has proactively reached thousands of OFWs.
As of October 2025, the DMW recorded a total of 52,745 OFW beneficiaries of its various reintegration programs. Of this number, 28,349 benefitted from the 'Kabuhayan, Kaalaman, Kalinga, and Kaagapay Program, 5,046 from the Balik Pinay, Balik Hanapbuhay Program, 1,512 from the Livelihood Development Assistance Program, 9,383 from the Aksyon Fund, 7,799 from the DMW Financial Awareness Seminar-Small Business Management Training, and 656 former teachers got plantilla positions in the education sector through the 'Sa 'Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma'am/Sir (SPIMS) Program.
