The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) brought vital government services to 1,263 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, processing 4,047 transactions during the latest leg of its Bagong Bayani ng Mundo: OFW Serbisyo Caravan, held Aug. 8-9. The initiative, part of a broader effort to support Filipino communities abroad, is set to continue in Al Khobar on Aug. 15-16, officials said.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, in a statement Wednesday, described the Jeddah event as the sixth installment of a flagship program launched under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to bring government services closer to Filipinos overseas. “This caravan reflects our commitment to serving our kababayan (countrymen) wherever they are,” Cacdac said, highlighting the collaborative efforts of government agencies and Filipino community volunteers.
The caravan, which has previously served communities in Hong Kong, Riyadh, Osaka, Doha, and Dubai, has assisted 11,545 OFWs across these locations, facilitating 29,044 transactions. Services included the issuance of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) E-cards, national IDs, and civil registry documents such as birth, marriage, and death certificates, as well as Certificates of No Marriage Record.
In Jeddah, the event’s success was driven by partnerships with local Filipino organizations, including the OFW Council of Leaders, Guardians International, The Fraternal Order of Eagles–Philippine Eagles, and the Philippine Nurses Association. Over 100 volunteers assisted with crowd management, registration, and guiding OFWs through the process. Cacdac, alongside Undersecretary Dominique Rubia-Tutay, Assistant Secretary Francis Ron de Guzman, OWWA Deputy Administrator Ryan Uy, and Philippine Consul General Rommel Romato, honored these volunteers with certificates of appreciation during a fellowship event following the caravan.
“Salamat sa inyo, naipahiwatig natin ang pagmamahal sa ating mga kababayan (Thanks to you, we have expressed our love for our countrymen),” Cacdac told the volunteers, crediting their efforts and Marcos’ leadership for the program’s impact. The caravan operates under the administration’s One Country Team Approach, a whole-of-government strategy to support Filipinos abroad.
Alongside the caravan, the DMW facilitated the repatriation of 24 distressed OFWs from Jeddah, working closely with OWWA and the Philippine Consulate General. Sixteen workers arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila on Monday, followed by eight more on Tuesday. The repatriates, previously sheltered at the Bahay Kalinga in Jeddah, received financial aid, temporary accommodation, transportation to their home provinces, and medical assistance upon their return.
