The Department of Migrant Workers’ regional office in Northern Mindanao has forged partnerships with 27 agencies, institutions and organizations to bolster a national network aimed at helping returning overseas Filipino workers reintegrate into society.
The agreements were signed Wednesday in Cagayan de Oro City as part of efforts to strengthen the National Reintegration Network (NRN), a program designed to provide sustainable livelihood opportunities and support for overseas Filipino workers, known as OFWs, upon completion of their contracts abroad.
Emmanuel Toledo, officer-in-charge of the Department of Migrant Workers’ Region 10 office, acknowledged the challenges faced by OFWs both overseas and upon return.
“We can build a Philippines where coming home is not the end of the journey but the beginning of new and endless possibilities,” Toledo said during the event.
The initiative was led by the migrant workers department in coordination with its regional counterparts at the Department of Labor and Employment and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
During the ceremony, 59 program completers received seed grants through the “Sa Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am at Sir” initiative, which supports returning OFW teachers. Another 64 beneficiaries were granted assistance under a separate livelihood program for OFW reintegration, while 20 recipients of the Aksyon Fund were honored for their successful transitions and inspiring stories.
The NRN, launched nationally earlier this year, seeks to coordinate government and private sector efforts to offer holistic reintegration services, including employment referrals, skills training and financial aid for returning migrant workers.
