The Philippines earned praise on the international stage for its strong commitment to safeguarding overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and advancing healthcare access, bagging two major awards at the GovMedia Conference & Awards 2025 held at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
Recognized under the Labor Category – Philippines, the Department of Migrant Workers’ (DMW) Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons (AIRTIP) program was named Campaign of the Year for its significant achievements in protecting OFWs against illegal recruitment and human trafficking.
According to DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, AIRTIP has carried out 564 surveillance operations from 2023 to May 2025, leading to the shutdown of 35 establishments and arrests of illegal recruiters. The department also intensified its digital crackdown, partnering with Meta and TikTok to take down more than 118,000 fraudulent recruitment posts and accounts.
Cacdac highlighted the Door-to-Door Victim-Survivor Support Program as one of the program’s key components, offering direct intervention and aid to trafficking victims.
In the Health Category – Philippines, the OFW Hospital in Pampanga was awarded Public Facility of the Year for providing free specialized care to over 80,000 OFWs and their families. Now operating as a Level 1 Specialty Hospital with 50 authorized beds, the facility is also an accredited Konsulta provider under PhilHealth and delivers medical repatriation support and pre-employment medical services.
Its ongoing expansion includes the upcoming Bagong Pilipinas Cancer Care Center, aimed at offering dialysis and cancer treatments tailored to OFWs battling chronic illnesses.
Receiving the award on behalf of the department, DMW Undersecretary Dominique Tutay dedicated the honors to the millions of OFWs worldwide.
“These awards are dedicated to all the overseas Filipino workers around the world who serve as our ambassadors, providing a culture of service characterized by resilience and perseverance,” Tutay said.
She also expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Secretary Cacdac for their leadership in prioritizing OFW welfare.
The GovMedia Awards annually recognize exemplary public sector initiatives from across the Asia-Pacific region.
