DMW Advances Digital Services, Welfare Programs, and Lifelong Learning Initiatives for OFWs in the U.S.

New York, USA — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has announced significant advancements in digitalizing services for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and expanding programs in welfare, protection, lifelong learning, and investment opportunities during a recent engagement with the Filipino community New York City.

Speaking before community leaders, DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac emphasized that digitalization is central to the agency’s reform agenda. Over the past eight years, the department’s electronic system for the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) has processed nearly 10 million transactions, drastically reducing long queues at Philippine offices. The DMW is now transitioning from the OEC to the new e-Travel Pass, accessible through the government’s eGov.ph app, which also hosts digital versions of national IDs, PhilHealth cards, and other essential documents.

The agency has already piloted the e-Travel Pass and electronic contract verification in high-volume posts such as Dubai, reducing daily foot traffic at the Migrant Workers Office by more than half. By January, the DMW aims to roll out the system nationwide. “Documentation tells us who and where our OFWs are, enabling better policymaking and faster emergency response,” said a DMW official.

Beyond digitalization, the DMW reaffirmed its rights-based approach to welfare and protection. The agency has aggressively combated illegal recruitment, shutting down more than 25 unlicensed firms, and maintains an Action Fund to provide financial, legal, and medical assistance to distressed OFWs. The fund has supported cruise ship workers facing deportation, victims of trafficking in Southeast Asia, and thousands requiring repatriation due to conflicts such as the Israel–Hamas war.

In partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the DMW maintains offices in major U.S. cities and is ready to expand its presence to Chicago and Houston. Post-arrival orientation programs and OWWA membership benefits are emphasized for new arrivals, offering assistance in repatriation, livelihood programs, scholarships, and medical support.

The department also highlighted lifelong learning initiatives. In collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the DMW is implementing the new Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETIA), enabling Filipinos with significant work experience abroad to earn formal academic credentials. Micro-credentialing programs with the University of the Philippines, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and TESDA aim to help OFWs gain certifications, advance their careers, and pursue professional development.

Investment and entrepreneurship opportunities are also a priority. OFWs can access franchising programs through the Department of Trade and Industry, participate in trade fairs with major mall operators, and benefit from the “Alcea of Life” financial-education program, which teaches financial literacy and alternative learning for entrepreneurship.

Finally, the DMW announced plans to bring its successful “Serbisyo Para sa Bayan” caravans to the United States. These one-stop services gather key agencies—SSS, PhilHealth, PSA, OWWA, Pag-IBIG, and others—under one roof to deliver frontline services directly to overseas communities.

“Remittances are not only financial; they are also social and economic contributions,” Sec. Cacdac said. “We are determined—as is our President—to deliver these programs for our OFWs and their families.”