MANILA — The Philippine government is gearing up to support overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families in the event of a mandatory repatriation triggered by the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) announced Thursday.
Director Edwin Morata of the DSWD’s Protective Services Bureau-Crisis Intervention Unit said the agency has mobilized teams of social workers and prepared a range of assistance packages ready for immediate deployment to Manila for repatriated Filipinos.
“The DSWD is ready. Once we receive a directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., and with the full support of our Secretary, Rex Gatchalian, our team is prepared to act,” Morata told reporters during a media forum at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City.
The assistance includes medical care, food, transportation, legal aid, livelihood support, and mental health and psychosocial services tailored to the needs of returning OFs and their families.
In a related effort, the DSWD is collaborating with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to expand its “Serbisyo Caravan,” a mobile, one-stop-shop initiative designed to deliver essential government services directly to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families. The caravan addresses challenges faced by OFWs, such as time constraints and geographical barriers, by bringing services to them in various countries.
On June 8, the Serbisyo Caravan reached Hong Kong, where 154 OFWs accessed 544 DSWD services, including information sessions and counseling about available programs for workers and their families in the Philippines.
