Philippine aviation authorities inaugurated a dedicated lounge for overseas Filipino workers at the Zamboanga International Airport on Tuesday, the latest effort to improve services for the millions of Filipinos working abroad.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) opened the facility in partnership with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), providing a designated space offering comfort, assistance, and essential services to OFWs traveling to and from the Zamboanga Peninsula region.
“The establishment of the OFW Lounge reflects our continued commitment to make our airports more inclusive and responsive,” CAAP Director General Raul Del Rosario said in a statement. “We want our OFWs to feel valued, supported, and cared for from the moment they depart or arrive at the airport.”
The agency said the initiative is part of a broader push to strengthen passenger-centered programs across Philippine airports, in line with directives from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The inauguration was attended by Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso, Migrant Worker Assistant Secretary Jerome Alcantara, DMW Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Director Gay Iris Tancalagan, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration-9 officer in charge Rosarito Sultan, and CAAP Area Manager Edwin Luching.
The Philippines is one of the world’s largest exporters of labor, with an estimated 10 million Filipinos working overseas. OFW remittances remain a critical pillar of the country’s economy, contributing billions of dollars annually to the national GDP.
