For 2027, DMW may get P11-B budget. Is it enough to help OFWs?

MANILA, Philippines – The Marcos Jr. administration is seeking to allocate P11.62 billion to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) for 2027, but the agency has asked lawmakers to give them more.

The proposed amount is lower than what was approved in this year’s national budget. In the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the DMW was allocated P11.75 billion. 

Both figures include automatically appropriated funds, which are retirement and life insurance premiums and special accounts. The proposed DMW budget also includes funding for its attached agency, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

The 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP) showed that Malacañang is seeking P7.27 billion for DMW’s Office of the Secretary and P4.35 billion for OWWA. 

But during the House appropriations committee deliberations on Wednesday, August 26, the DMW asked for an additional P4 billion. If approved, that would mean an additional P2 billion each for the OSEC and the OWWA. 

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac said that while they appreciate seeing the discussion through the technical budget process, they are “anticipating the geopolitical possibilities” in making the request.

Overseas Filipinos are among those affected by ongoing tensions in the Middle East, since the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran on February 28. 

Around 12,000 migrant workers, overseas Filipinos, and their dependents have been repatriated.

“We are also here to exercise our expertise in terms of how we see the sector, the OFWs, needing the resources,” Cacdac said.

“When it comes to crisis, the reality is, number 1, we must always say yes to the needs of those who are in the midst of the crisis; and number 2, without even waiting for the persons in crisis to ask for the assistance, we must be able to come forward ourselves.”

What’s in the 2027 NEP

Under the DMW’s OSEC budget, the government wants to allocate P2 billion for the Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW na Nangangailangan or AKSYON Fund, the same amount in the 2026 budget. 

The AKSYON Fund provides legal, medical, financial, and other forms of assistance to OFWs. It is sourced under the DMW’s “Worker’s Welfare and Government Placement Services.” But that line item is seen to be reduced to P4.6 billion next year from P4.8 billion in the 2026 GAA. 

Here are the proposed allocations for the DMW’s programs:

• Overseas Employment and Welfare Program – P4.74 billion
• General Administration and Support – P879 million
• Overseas Employment Regulatory Program – P308 million
• Labor Migration Policy and International Cooperation Program – P297 million
• Maritime Research and Skills Competency Program – P136 million

Meanwhile, the administration is seeking P978 million for OWWA’s Emergency Repatriation Program next year, a cut from P1.29 billion in the 2026 GAA.

OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne “PY” Caunan said this was the lowest amount for the Emergency Repatriation Program since 2023. 

Under the OWWA budget, P914 million is earmarked for General Administration and Support, while P3.4 billion is for its Social Protection and Welfare for OFWs Program (which includes training and scholarship grants, welfare services, and membership promotion).

Where additional P4 billion will go

A focus in the DMW’s request for additional funding is trying to beef up programs that would help distressed OFWs amid the Middle East crisis. 

In June, the President ordered the release of an additional P3-billion budget for the DMW’s repatriation and reintegration efforts. The supplemental budget is already being utilized by both agencies. 

Cacdac said that while the Cabinet had a collective decision to be mindful of the fiscal space and the NEP allocations, he had to raise the budgetary items to the lawmakers.

“At the end of the day, OFWs din ang makikinabang dito (OFWs will benefit from this),” he said.

Here are some of the requests for additional funding:

DMW

• P1 billion for the AKSYON Fund 
• P300 million for the reintegration program
• P200 million for the OFW Hospital
• P180 million for General Administration and Support
• P100 million to create additional Migrant Workers Offices

OWWA

• P575 million for the Emergency Repatriation Program
• P475 million for Alagang OWWA Program
• P448 million for capital outlay
• P322 million for General Administration and Support

House committee on appropriations chairperson and Nueva Ecija 1st District Representative Mika Suansing told Cacdac that P2 billion each for the DMW and OWWA “might be a little bit challenging” at the current stage of the budget process.

Suansing asked the DMW and OWWA instead to project how many OFWs would still need help because of the Middle East crisis by next year.

There are more than two million Filipinos in the conflict-ridden region, government data show.

“If we were able to rationalize it and see how many we really, really need based on the target number of beneficiaries, we might be able to work out a better number for how we can restore it, supplement it when we develop the HGAB (House General Appropriations Bill),” she said.

Cacdac has until the first week of September to submit the supplemental budget request, which will be tackled by the House budget amendment review sub-committee. – Rappler.com