The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) proposed a PHP 8-million budget for 2025 before a Senate hearing.
Together with its attached agency, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), DMW discussed key issues, such as budget, bilateral agreements, and safeguards for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
According to Sen. Joel Villanueva, there will be additional safeguards for OFWs, such as the domestic worker protection agreement that is signed and continuously assessed and monitored in Middle Eastern countries.
The Senate hearing discussed the DMW’s ongoing efforts to protect OFWs, including the 39 negotiated international agreements and treaties on labor migration. According to Villanueva, the agency has 48 bilateral agreements with other countries with 39 more pending.
Among agreements already signed include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE. The agreement with the UAE improves the recruitment of Filipino healthcare professionals to meet labor demands.
In Saudi Arabia, the agreement aims to streamline payment processes for claimants and institute a “white-listing” system for foreign recruitment agencies. Kuwait, on the other hand, has signed an agreement that ensures the resumption of OFW deployment with additional safeguards in place, while Qatar established a no-placement policy to protect OFWs from illegal fees.
Apart from that, the DMW and Social Security System (SSS) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enhance the pension system and give better social security for OFWs in the long term.
