President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved an additional ₱3 billion to expand government programs for the repatriation and reintegration of displaced overseas Filipino workers, particularly those affected by conflicts in the Middle East.
The funding will support initiatives of the Department of Migrant Workers aimed at ensuring the safe return of OFWs and helping them secure employment, redeployment opportunities, or alternative sources of livelihood upon their return to the Philippines.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said the president directed government agencies to provide sustained support to returning workers beyond their repatriation.
“The president’s instruction is that we cannot just leave them on their own once they arrive,” Recto said.
“Ang utos n’ya ay hindi puwedeng paglapag dito, bahala na kayo. Ang gusto ng pangulo, may hatid sa probinsya sa lubhang nangangailangan, at higit sa lahat mga economic opportunities,” he added.
The additional funding comes as the government continues efforts to assist Filipinos affected by regional conflicts and labor-related emergencies abroad.
The directive was issued days after Russian authorities released 24 Filipinos who had been detained in Russia after allegedly becoming victims of illegal recruitment schemes. Marcos earlier said he personally raised their situation during his bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan.
According to the Presidential Communications Office, the funding is intended to ensure that support for returning OFWs extends beyond transportation and emergency assistance to include job placement, livelihood support, skills development and other economic opportunities.
Returning workers currently receive a standard government assistance package that includes financial aid, psychosocial counseling, medical assessment, employment guidance and livelihood support. Qualified beneficiaries may also receive up to ₱20,000 in startup assistance for small businesses.
The repatriation and reintegration initiatives form part of the administration’s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food and Transport strategy aimed at mitigating the impact of the ongoing Middle East conflict on Filipino workers and their families.
Since the conflict began, the Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration have facilitated the return of 12,443 Filipinos from affected areas in the Middle East.
