The Philippine government has launched a robust initiative to support millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) returning home, establishing the National Reintegration Network (NRN) to streamline and enhance reintegration services, officials announced Saturday.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) spearheaded the creation of the NRN through a Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) signed by 15 government agencies during the 30th anniversary celebration of Migrant Workers’ Day at the Occupational Safety and Health Center in Quezon City. The agreement marks a significant step toward fulfilling President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive for stronger inter-agency collaboration to deliver efficient reintegration programs.
“This network is a game-changer for our OFWs,” said DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, who co-chairs the NRN alongside the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) as vice chair. “It’s about giving our workers the tools and opportunities to thrive when they return home.”
The JMC signatories include key figures such as Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque, DOLE Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary Benjo Benavidez, and OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan. Other agencies involved range from the Department of Social Welfare and Development to the Small Business Corp. and PhilHealth, reflecting a broad coalition aimed at addressing the diverse needs of returning OFWs.
The NRN, rooted in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 11641 (DMW Act), seeks to coordinate societal stakeholders to provide comprehensive reintegration services. These include livelihood programs, microenterprise support, employment assistance, and referrals tailored to OFWs transitioning back to life in the Philippines.
Among the promised services are job facilitation, capacity-building programs, and access to health services, including affordable medicines and rice priced at 20 pesos per kilogram. The initiative also includes setting up OFW Help Desks and providing aid through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program.
Cacdac expressed optimism that the NRN could lead to a 200-percent increase in the DMW and OWWA’s reintegration fund.
