The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has intensified efforts to enhance the welfare and labor mobility of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hungary and neighboring countries through deepened collaboration with Hungarian partners and the Philippine Embassy, officials said Thursday.
In a statement, DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac highlighted a recent courtesy visit to Philippine Ambassador to Hungary Maria Elena Algabre, emphasizing the government’s commitment to a coordinated, people-centered approach to supporting OFWs, as mandated by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. The visit underscored the “One Country Team Approach” aimed at delivering seamless services to Filipino workers abroad.
Cacdac expressed appreciation for the embassy’s proactive role in addressing the needs of OFWs in Hungary and surrounding regions. Ambassador Algabre reaffirmed the embassy’s dedication to working closely with the DMW and other agencies to provide responsive and well-coordinated services.
Following the courtesy call, Cacdac met with representatives of the Association for Central European Employment of Overseas Filipino Workers (ACE) to discuss strategies for improving ethical recruitment, enhancing worker welfare, and expanding employment opportunities. Key initiatives included joint training programs, such as Capacity and Enhancement Training for Welfare Desk Officers, and collaboration between Hungarian and Filipino coordinators of ACE member companies involved in recruitment, deployment, and welfare support.
“These engagements reflect our commitment to forging strategic partnerships and promoting ethical, transparent, and sustainable employment practices that uphold the dignity of Filipino workers while meeting the needs of responsible employers abroad,” Cacdac said.
The meeting included key DMW officials, such as Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Chief Patricia Yvonne Caunan, Undersecretary Jainal Rasul Jr., Assistant Secretary Julyn Ambito-Fermin, and others. ACE was represented by Board President Adrian Farkas, Endre Kovacs, and Daniel Horvath of ProHuman Group, alongside embassy officials Consul General Jeffrey Salik and Vice Consul John Phillipe Arjona.
In September, the DMW opened two new satellite offices in Budapest, Hungary, and Vienna, Austria, to support the growing Filipino migrant worker population. The Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Vienna serves approximately 8,000 OFWs in Austria and 12,000 in Croatia, Slovenia, and Slovakia. The Budapest office covers Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Moldova, and Montenegro, where 5,373 OFWs reside.
The initiatives aim to strengthen protections and enhance skills development for Filipino workers, ensuring their well-being and competitiveness in the global labor market.
