The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Legal Education Board (LEB) have partnered to bring accessible legal assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) while training future lawyers in the practice of labor rights and social justice.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac and LEB Chairperson Jason Barlis signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Monday at DMW Central Office in Mandaluyong City.
Under the agreement, law schools will open their legal aid clinics to distressed OFWs. In return, law students will gain hands-on experience working on actual migrant cases, transforming their legal education into a platform for advocacy.
“The legal worry that we can take away from our OFWs will go a very long way. The law is the best weapon against exploitation, anxiety, and all the things that can make OFWs unproductive and distressed,” Cacdac said.
LEB Chairperson Jason Barlis said the partnership not only brings justice closer to OFWs but also reshapes legal education into a purpose-driven experience.
“It’s about making sure that the promise of access to justice reaches even those who are miles away from home. On the other hand, it also gives students a hands-on, purpose-driven experience that cannot be taught inside the classroom. It’s in these moments that they feel the law come alive because it is applied in real life,” he added.
