Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families can now access free legal aid and justice support through a renewed alliance between the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
The partnership was formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement signed by Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac and IBP National President Atty. Allan Panolong during the World Day Against Trafficking commemoration held at the DMW Central Office in Mandaluyong on July 30, 2025.
The initiative responds to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call to boost legal and welfare services for OFWs, especially those facing abuse or legal battles abroad.
“This agreement reflects our shared commitment to uphold the dignity, rights, and welfare of our OFWs, lalo na sa panahong sila’y nahaharap sa legal na pagsubok. With IBP’s help, we bring our OFWs closer to justice, wherever they are in the world,” Cacdac said.
The collaboration outlines legal support in multiple forms: public awareness campaigns, training, research, case referrals, joint investigations into rights violations, and mobile legal clinics. IBP will also assign a Legal Aid Desk at its central office and send volunteer lawyers through its “Lawyer of the Day Initiative (LODI)” to assist at OFW help desks, both locally and internationally.
“Legal aid is a vital component of access to justice. We are honored to work alongside the DMW to empower migrant workers with the legal support they deserve,” said Atty. Panolong.
