In a significant move to enhance the reintegration of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) have formalized a partnership. The collaboration was sealed with a memorandum of understanding signed by CFO chairperson Secretary Dante Ang II and DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac during the National Forum on Migration held at the Philippine International Convention Center on December 18, 2024.
Secretary Ang emphasized that this partnership is a crucial step towards developing programs that facilitate the smooth reintegration of OFWs and their families into Philippine society. He highlighted the initiative’s focus on aiding returning Filipinos, including those displaced from their jobs abroad, to reintegrate into the local workforce.
The BaLinkBayan Project, a key component of this partnership, is an online portal designed to provide a one-stop shop for government services, entrepreneurship, and investment opportunities, as well as initiatives to engage the Filipino diaspora in national development efforts. Ang stated that the agreement not only enhances the project with more relevant data but also embodies a shared commitment to providing streamlined, accessible, and efficient services for Filipino migrants.
Secretary Cacdac added that the collaboration supports the government’s broader objective of creating sustainable and inclusive reintegration opportunities for overseas Filipinos. The DMW also announced that the partnership will facilitate financial literacy and education programs for OFWs and their families, alongside promoting the BaLinkBayan portal.