News Archive

When an OFW goes to the Philippine Embassies or to the Philippine Consulates abroad, the well known officers of the said government offices would be the Ambassador, Consul General, Consul or Vice-Consul. Some may also know the officers of the attached services like the Labor, Defense, and Trade Attachés. But what about the OWWA Welfare Officer?

During the late 1980’s, when small-time and non-corporate foreign employers were allowed to hire Filipino skilled and household service workers, the number of OFW Welfare Cases also rose as many of these employers tend to violate the terms of employment signed by our workers in the Philippines. Physical, mental, and other kinds of abuses also multiplied. It was then only the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) which was handling all of the mentioned cases and given the latter’s magnitude, the DFA suddenly found that the Embassies and Consulates were understaffed and ill-prepared to handle the said cases. It was these circumstances that gave birth to the OWWA Welfare Officer.

As the lead agency tasked to promote and protect the welfare of OFWs, OWWA saw the need to send trained and experienced people to assist OFWs in their problems especially if it pertains to their employment conditions. The first batch of Welfare Officers was deployed by OWWA in 1988 to countries where there are large concentrations of OFWs. Some of these countries then, like Qatar and Bahrain, did not even have any embassies and/or consulates from the Philippines then. The Welfare Officers main task is to handle cases of OFWs but as time goes by, OWWA saw the need to introduce other welfare programs that caters to the needs of OFWs.

The family of the late OFW ZENIA AGUILAR is set to get full OWWA benefits after her deployment record showed that she was a documented worker.

When one asks what assistance does the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) provide for OFWs? Many would probably answer the on-site assistance provided by OWWA overseas posts in handling OFW welfare cases, or the airport assistance to distressed OFWs or the life insurance benefits that it provides to beneficiaries of its departed member-OFWs. But how about scholarship for beneficiaries of OFWs?

MOFYA National Awardees

The Model Overseas Filipino Worker’s (OFW) Family of the Year Award (MOFYA) is an annual event of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). Its objective is to give recognition to OFWs and their families who have demonstrated financial stability, steady and enduring family ties, and outstanding community service.

It was first conceptualized in 2003, the Year of the OFW Family. It started out as a component activity of OWWA’s Family Welfare Program for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families but eventually evolved into a more prestigious event due to its significance and impact.

Tele-viewers of QTV 11 witnessed the first airing of “Mga Waging Kuwento ng OFW” MOFYA TV Series last Sunday, October 28, 2007 at 11 A.M. The initial episode is about “ANICIA ABRERA ALVAREZ, Region IX, Winner, 2005 MOFYA” from which the story of Glenn Sta. Maria, Computer Technician, Singapore was based.

As of the final day of submission last 15 October 2007, a total of one hundred eighty-three (183) OFWs and their families nationwide are nominated to be the next recipient of the Model OFW Family of the Year Award (MOFYA).

Some 100 scholarship grant slots are available for qualified dependents of overseas Filipino workers who are members of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, an official of OWWA announced over the weekend.

Good news for all OWWA Scholars! A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed last 27 September 2007 by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Landbank of the Philippines wherein allowances and other entitlements of OWWA Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP), Congressional Migrant Workers Scholarship Program (CMWSP), and the Tuloy-Aral Project (TAP) scholars would now be made available to them via automated teller machines (ATMs).

WASHINGTON — The home countries of international labor migrants can play a major role in protecting temporary workers, says a new report from the Migration Policy Institute. Protecting Overseas Workers: Lessons and Cautions from the Philippines details how a welfare fund financed by migrants has placed a safety net under overseas workers from the Philippines, home to the largest organized labor-export program in the world.

June 22, 2007


The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has launched the search for the 2007 Model OFW Family of the Year Award (MOFYA) in honor of the sacrifices and contributions to the economy of Filipino migrants abroad.

The annual award aims to give proper recognition to the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families. “It is important for us to show our gratitude to our OFWs because they work very hard to provide a better quality of life for their families," said OWWA Administrator Marianito Roque.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is conducting livelihood activities for spouses of overseas Filipino workers in Region 11, SunStar Davao reported Saturday.

The OWWA-NCR Regional Welfare Office recently conducted a Basic Life Support and First Aid Training last 27 August 2007 at the Blas F. Ople Development Center in Intramuros, Manila.

OFW Vilma Paringit, Vilma for short, already has two (2) children when she went to work in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for five (5) years from 1982-1987. Like her namesake actress, Vilma Santos, who is famous for her drama roles in the big screen, her life working abroad was full of sad stories. She could never forget how she bade her four-year old Joan and five-year old Jorell when she first left for abroad and how the calling card of her husband, Eduardo, became one of her most prized possessions, serving as her only reminder of her love ones that she misses so much.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), through Welfare Officer Emma Sinclair, together with Assistance to Nationals Section (ANS) of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), has requested Italian authorities that they, as representatives of the Philippine government, be allowed to visit OFW TERESITA AGUILA LLEVA in the San Vittore Prison in Milan, Italy.

The Third National Conference of OWWA Scholars was convened last May 22-24, 2007 at the Subic Bay Free Port Zone, Olongapo City. It was participated in by more than 200 scholars of the Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP) and Congressional Migrant Workers Scholarship Program (CMWSP) from various regions.

June 22, 2007


In honor of the sacrifices and efforts of the overseas Filipino workers and their families, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA ) today announces the start of the search for the 2007 Model OFW Family of the Year Award (MOFYA).

OWWA Administrator Marianito D. Roque said the annual award aims to give proper recognition to the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families. “It is important for us to show our gratitude to our OFWs because they work very hard to provide a better quality of life for their families.”

A total of 488 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were repatriated from the Middle East since April 24, 2007 have been provided assistance by OWWA.

200 overseas Filipino workers arrived from Riyadh and Lebanon on May 8, 2007 following representations by the Philippine government for their release and repatriation.

Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Sarah Jane Dematera arrived in Manila on May 9, 2007 from Riyadh, accompanied by Philippine embassy officials led by Ambassador Tony Villamor & Labor Attache Sodusta.

OFW Dematera was freed from a Saudi Arabian prison after 15 years of incarceration. She was meted the capital punishment for the death of her lady employer in the oil-rich kingdom.

Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Sarah Dematera, who was released and spared execution after she was convicted of murder in Saudi Arabia, arrived in Manila on Wednesday, May 9, 2007. Her release was part of the repatriation efforts of the government for distressed OFWs. She was accompanied to Manila by Ambassador Tony Villamor and Labor Attache Arturo Sodusta.

The reported released of eight (8) Filipino workers and three (3) Korean executives of Daewoo Engineering and Construction Company in Nigeria was confirmed to me by Labor Attache Rodolfo M. Sabulao who had been closely monitoring developments on the hostage-taking incident.

The Philippine Labor Department is grateful to our team from the Philippine Embassy and its local counterpart in Nigeria , particularly the local government of the region where the abduction occurred, for handling the negotiation that led to the eventual release of the hostages.