Reintegration Support in Iloilo & Israel Repatriation Flight Arrival

News Articles:

308 returning OFWs gathered in Iloilo City for a "kumustahan" event organized by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to reconnect and access government support services.
The event offered key programs including wellness sessions, livelihood assistance under Balik Pinas Balik Hanapbuhay, and Balik Turo onboarding for returning OFW teachers.
Led by DMW alongside 25 government agencies, the National Reintegration Network aims to provide comprehensive support services for returning OFWs and their families under President Marcos Jr.'s directive.

The first repatriation flight out of Israel since its airspace closure is set to arrive in Manila on Thursday, carrying 12 OFWs assisted by the Philippine Embassy's DMW-OWWA team via Ben Gurion International Airport.
The 12 OFWs are traveling via El Al Airlines to Bangkok, then connecting to a Philippine Airlines flight to Manila — marking the first repatriation flight since Israel resumed full airport operations following the ceasefire with Iran.
In total, 220 Filipinos — including caregivers, hotel workers, students, and tourists — have been assisted by the Philippine Embassy in exiting Israel since February 28, previously through land border crossings before this direct flight became possible.

A total of 202 Filipinos — OFWs and their dependents — have been repatriated from Kuwait and Abu Dhabi as part of the government's ongoing repatriation efforts amid the Middle East crisis, arriving at NAIA Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 in Pasay City.
Upon arrival, repatriates were provided financial aid, medical assistance, and transportation to their home provinces, with support from key agencies including DMW, OWWA, DSWD, DOH, and MIAA.
The government's National Reintegration Network, led by DMW in partnership with 25 agencies, is in place to support returning OFWs through job matching, skills training, and livelihood assistance to help them transition back to local employment.

Former OFWs in Baguio City expressed gratitude for the government's continued support, with beneficiaries like Emily Dela Cruz and Jovelyn Edrada receiving livelihood assistance under OWWA's Balik-Pinas! Balik-Hanapbuhay! program to help them start small businesses after returning home for good.
Dela Cruz received PHP 20,000 to start a frozen food and fish business, while Edrada combined her PHP 15,000 from DMW and PHP 20,000 from OWWA to open a tailoring shop — both using the assistance to rebuild their lives after decades of working abroad.
OWWA-Cordillera Director Dina Ponciano urged all OFWs and former OFWs to avail of available benefits, noting that the Balik-Pinas! program provides start-up livelihood assistance with follow-up support after one and two years to help beneficiaries grow and sustain their businesses.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) rejected claims that 40,000 OFWs are stranded due to a deployment ban, clarifying that no ban exists for Middle East-bound workers and that deployment continues under existing protocols despite ongoing regional tensions.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac assured that the government is closely working with licensed recruitment agencies to monitor deployed workers, assist those seeking repatriation, and enhance Pre-Departure Orientation Seminars to prepare OFWs for evolving security conditions in host countries.
For returning OFWs seeking new employment, the DMW launched its Creating Alternative Labor Market initiative, offering virtual interviews, targeted job fairs, and faster job matching across Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America in partnership with private recruitment agencies.

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