Marcos certifying program for OFW as urgent to help reintegration

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos’ decision to certify as urgent a bill that would facilitate a sustainable reintegration program for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) would prepare the government for any kind of eventuality, Albay Rep. Adrian Salceda said.

Salceda shared with reporters a copy of Marcos’ letter to Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian informing the latter that he has certified the necessity of immediate approval and enactment of Senate Bill (SB) No. 2423, or the proposed Bagong Balikbayan Act, meant to “provide vital intervention to the continuing and urgent need for sustained government assistance” to OFWs who are displaced.

“Paglapag na paglapag po ng ating mga OFW, ready dapat tayong tanggapin sila at bigyan ng agarang suporta. Nasa airport pa lang, dapat may malinaw na pupuntahan para sa trabaho, livelihood, at iba pang tulong na kailangan nila,” Salceda, one of the co-authors of House Bill (HB) No. 6643, said.

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(As soon as our OFWs land in the country, we should be ready to accept them and give them the support they need. While they are still at the airport, there should be a clear direction for work, livelihood, and other forms of assistance that they may need.)

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“Marami sa kanila ang umuuwi after years of working abroad. Some come home because their contracts have ended; others because of displacement, conflict, or difficult circumstances. Whatever the reason, government has to be ready when they arrive,” he added.

(Many of them return after years of working abroad. Some come home because their contracts have ended; others because of displacement, conflict, or difficult circumstances. Whatever the reason, the government has to be ready when they arrive.)

According to Salceda, the certification from Marcos and the subsequent approval will be of a big help to OFWs.

“Salamat po, Mr. President. Napakalaking tulong po nito sa ating mga OFW at kanilang mga pamilya. I filed the first House bill on OFW reintegration this Congress, and I am grateful that the President has given the measure urgency,” he said.

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(Thank you, Mr. President. This will be a big help to our OFWs and their families. I filed the first House bill on OFW reintegration this Congress, and I am grateful that the President has given the measure urgency.)

“Malaking bagay po ang certification ng Pangulo para matapos na natin ito sa Kongreso. Salamat po, Mr. President,” he added.

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(The president’s certification is a huge boost to our efforts to finalize this within this Congress. Thank you, Mr. President.)

According to the Senate website’s entry on SB No. 2423, the bill was approved on second reading last September 28, and on third reading on Thursday, with all 17 senators present voting in favor of the measure.

It was then forwarded to the House of Representatives for a possible concurrence.

For the House, HB No. 6643 was approved on third and final reading last December 11, 2025, with 279 members voting in the affirmative, none in the negative, and no abstentions.

The bill was a consolidation of six bills—HB Nos. 50, 225, 2713, 2964, 3021 and 4759.

For a while now, House lawmakers like Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre have asked the Senate to swiftly pass the proposed Bagong Balikbayan Act, especially in the wake of job layoffs in the Middle East during the first quarter of 2026, due to the United States-Iran conflict.

READ: Acidre wants Bagong Balikbayan Act fast-tracked in Senate

If enacted, the bill will provide OFWs access to employment and livelihood opportunities through government job fairs, expanded employment facilitation under the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), possible civil service eligibility under the Civil Service Commission, and skills and academic recognition under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

The House’s version of the bill also states that reintegration process would be initiated six months before the intended return of the OFW, consisting of the following steps:

• Education, upskilling/reskilling/retooling/micro-credentialing
• Psychosocial and social support services
• Entrepreneurship
• Employment

The measure covers returning OFWs who are either land-based and sea-based; documented or undocumented; those who have been voluntarily or mandatorily repatriated; those who are returning to the country due to retirement or upon the termination of their contract; and those returning to the country due to distressing circumstances in the host country.

READ: House panel okays bill on OFWs’ sustainable reintegration

Last August 2025, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan said that there are plans for a new reintegration program for OFWs, so that they would have employment opportunities in the information and communications technology sector once they return home.

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The Middle East crisis has exposed the need for an institutionalized integration program, as hundreds of OFWs returned home with uncertainties. No less than Agimat party-list Rep. Bryan Revilla said in March that there may be a need for a bigger allocation under the 2027 budget if the government intends to help OFWs. /cb