Home Labor DMW and TESDA Join Forces to Empower Overseas Filipino Workers

DMW and TESDA Join Forces to Empower Overseas Filipino Workers

DMW and TESDA Join Forces to Empower OFWs

MANILA (AP) – In a significant step towards enhancing the skills and employability of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) formalized a partnership on Tuesday. The memorandum of agreement, signed by DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac and TESDA Director-General Jose Francisco Benitez, aims to provide comprehensive skills and livelihood training programs for OFWs.

“Skills are not only a means to gain employment. They are the highest form of OFW protection,” Cacdac stated during the signing ceremony held at TESDA’s office in Taguig City. He emphasized that equipping OFWs with enhanced skills not only increases their productivity but also contributes positively to their families and communities.

The collaboration kicked off with the issuance of 249 scholarship training certificates for selected beneficiaries, marking a pivotal moment in the reintegration efforts for returning OFWs and their families. The DMW highlighted that this initiative will bolster programs aimed at providing scholarship grants for essential skills and livelihood training.

Under this new framework, the DMW will advocate for training programs focused on upskilling, re-skilling, and cross-skilling. They will also identify eligible OFWs and their family members for training opportunities and endorse qualified returnees to become trainers or assessors.

TESDA will complement these efforts by offering orientation on available programs, conducting skills training and certification, and providing language and culture training for outbound workers. They will also implement an Overseas Scholarship Program, ensuring that OFWs abroad have access to necessary resources and training.

“This agreement not only benefits the OFWs but their families as well,” Cacdac added, reiterating the government’s commitment to support the families of OFWs. “As mandated by the President himself, we will take care of the welfare of the families of the OFWs.”

This initiative reflects a growing recognition of the vital role that OFWs play in the Philippine economy and society. By enhancing their skills, the DMW and TESDA aim to ensure that these workers are not only well-prepared for their overseas employment but also have the tools necessary to succeed should they decide to return home.