Pampanga: The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is intensifying its healthcare services for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families through a three-day surgical, medical, and optical mission from February 18 to 20 at the OFW Hospital in Pampanga.

According to Philippines News Agency, First Lady Marie Louise Araneta-Marcos participated in the program launch on Wednesday alongside Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) chief Patricia Yvonne Caunan, and Department of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa. The event highlighted the collaboration between the DMW and the Makati Medical Center Foundation to provide free healthcare services to OFWs, their families, and underserved sectors.

The DMW detailed that the medical mission offered free minor and selected elective major surgical procedures, including thyroidectomy, cholecystectomy, excision, varicocelectomy, and selected OB cases. Additionally, the mission provided general medical consultations, basic laboratory services, necessary medications, and optical services, such as vision screening, refraction, and distribution of prescription eyeglasses.

During the event, the DMW emphasized the importance of collaboration with other national and local officials to strengthen social protection mechanisms for OFWs. The OFW Hospital has implemented comprehensive patient screening, diagnostic clearance protocols, and structured operating room scheduling to ensure procedural safety, clinical efficiency, and service quality.

Cacdac noted that this initiative supports the ongoing institutional strengthening of the OFW Hospital. In 2025, the facility served more than 124,000 patients and secured a DOH License to Operate Level 2 and Medical Facilities for Overseas Workers and Seafarers (MFOWS) accreditation, among other healthcare quality recognitions.

Meanwhile, the DMW reported that construction is ongoing for the OFW Hospital-Bagong Pilipinas Cancer Care Center, which commenced in October 2025. This project aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to expand OFWs' access to specialized and high-quality medical services, furthering the administration's commitment to more inclusive and responsive public healthcare delivery.