Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac has rejected rumors circulating online that overseas Filipino worker (OFW) lounges in airports will be shut down, stressing that the facilities are here to stay and will only be further improved.
“Pinabubulaan na natin ‘yung lumalabas sa social media na mahihinto ‘yung operation ng OFW Lounge. Hindi po, 1.5 million na po ang napagsilbihan nitong lounge na ito,” Cacdac said in a virtual press briefing on Friday. He added that the project was a direct order from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his 2024 State of the Nation Address, emphasizing its role in ensuring the comfort and protection of OFWs.
The first lounge opened in January 2024 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1, followed by another six months later. These facilities offer free meals, internet access, and dedicated services for OFWs.
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan confirmed that not only are the lounges being sustained, but upgrades and new locations are already in the works. “Instead of closing, kami po ay nasa proseso ng pagpapaganda, pagpapalaki at paghanap pa ng iba pa pong lugar,” she said, citing upcoming expansions in Cebu, Clark, and Davao airports.
Among the upgrades is a larger lounge at NAIA Terminal 1, which will include DMW and OWWA booths for easier processing of OFW e-cards. On October 1, the NAIA Terminal 3 lounge will also open its sleeping quarters, complete with bunk beds, shower facilities, and massage chairs donated by the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. Guidelines for their use will be posted online.
To further enhance the experience, meal offerings will soon be upgraded. Cacdac assured sustainability of the lounges, saying, “It won’t be treated as an additional burden but rather part of the overall costing of airport operations.”
