The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) capped 2025 with expanded protection and assistance for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), driven by digital innovation, rapid crisis response, and firm law enforcement.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the department followed President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s directive of “red carpet, not red tape,” streamlining services while strengthening safeguards for Filipino workers abroad.
Key priorities included promoting safe and orderly migration through rights-based bilateral partnerships, enhancing welfare programs, systematizing emergency response and repatriation for distressed OFWs, and upgrading digital services.
A major milestone was the processing of 514,966 e-Travel and OFW Pass transactions in 2025, significantly reducing reliance on the decades-old Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC).
“The system allows workers to travel faster while ensuring proper documentation and compliance,” Cacdac said, adding that airlines are expected to fully recognize digital travel documents by 2026.