MANILA — Returning overseas Filipino workers will gain expanded access to franchise opportunities, low-interest loans and skills training under new partnerships launched by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration during the OFW Kabuhayan Expo 2026, officials said Tuesday.
OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan said the agreements, unveiled at the SMX Convention Center in Manila in line with National Migrant Workers Day, aim to strengthen reintegration programs by connecting OFWs and their families to business and employment pathways beyond financial aid.
Central to the initiative is a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Franchise Association, designed to help returning migrant workers establish businesses and reintegrate into their communities. The expo gathered government agencies, private-sector partners and service providers offering consultations, livelihood programs and investment opportunities.
Caunan said reintegration support should not be limited to direct assistance, stressing the importance of guidance in building sustainable livelihoods.
“Helping OFWs should not be limited to aid or financial assistance,” she said in an interview with Radyo Pilipinas. “Starting a business requires mentorship and proper guidance. It’s not enough to have capital — aspiring entrepreneurs need support from experts who understand the path they want to take.”
Under the partnership framework, OFWs will receive support from the Philippine Franchise Association, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, including mentorship, training and market access.
To ease financial barriers, the Small Business Corporation, an attached agency of the DTI, is offering loan facilities that allow OFWs to finance up to 80 percent of a franchise cost at an interest rate of 1 percent per month. The government has allocated PHP2 billion for the program.
For example, an OFW seeking to invest in a PHP100,000 franchise would only need to provide PHP20,000 upfront, with the remaining PHP80,000 available through government-backed financing.
Caunan also highlighted a separate agreement with TESDA in Hong Kong that allows OFWs to undergo skills training and assessment overseas and obtain National Certificate II credentials without returning to the Philippines, a move expected to benefit thousands of Filipino workers based abroad.
Beyond livelihood initiatives, OWWA said it continues to prioritize assistance for distressed workers, including repatriation and reintegration support, as part of broader efforts to help OFWs rebuild their lives after working overseas.
