Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac announced that the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is now pilot-testing the use of the e-Travel Pass as the primary departure document for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), replacing the long-required Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC).
Speaking during the 45th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. (PASEI) in Pasay City, Cacdac underscored the government’s push for faster and more efficient services for OFWs. “It is our obligation to provide our OFWs a red carpet, not red tape,” he said.
Cacdac explained that the DMW has been working with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to merge the OEC with the e-Travel Pass. Under the system, OFWs must still register through the DMW app for verification, but once approved, only the e-Travel Pass will be presented at departure. “Mas simple, mas mabilis, pero may safeguards pa rin,” he emphasized.
As part of the pilot run, more than 80,000 OFWs have already shifted to the new system. In Dubai, the online contract verification project with Dataflow has also gained traction, clearing over 13,000 contracts digitally and reducing daily office visits from up to 500 down to about 150–200. According to Cacdac, the program has helped OFWs save an estimated 400,000 dirhams in transport and processing costs.
The DMW chief encouraged stakeholders to remain proactive in raising concerns. “Isa ito sa mga prinsipyo natin—red carpet, not red tape para sa ating mga OFWs. Huwag kayong mag-atubiling sabihin kung may problema kayo… Sabihin n’yo lang, at aayusin natin ‘yan,” he told PASEI members.
